Demonstrators Protest Death Of 3 Black Men At Hands Of Police

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Police were on hand Friday for a protest in downtown Los Angeles by dozens of activists calling for justice for Eric Garner, Mike Brown and Ezell Ford.

Members of Stop Mass Incarceration Network and supporters showed up for the rally at 1 p.m at the Los Angeles Police Department Headquarters on 100 W. First Street with plans to move to 65th and Broadway, where a rally will be held at 5 p.m., according to organizers.

LAPD Commander Justin Eisenberg told KNX 1070 NEWSRADIO that while the department supports First Amendment speech, officers draw the line at violence.

"In some cases, individuals in these groups decide to begin running in and out of traffic, in some cases running onto the freeway," Eisenberg said. "We're not gonna tolerate that for a second."

Protests have erupted across Southern California and nationwide after a white New York officer was cleared Wednesday in Garner's death. Garner was black.

It also follows a grand jury's decision last week not to indict Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson, who is white, in the Aug. 9 fatal shooting of 18-year-old Mike Brown, who was black. Wilson has since resigned.

The grand jury announcement triggered riots and looting in Ferguson and the surrounding area and sparked demonstrations around the nation from people who believe that minorities are too often the targets of overzealous police.

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