KTLA News: "California Veterans Movement draft demonstration at Armed Forces Building" (1971)

[Crowd noise] [Reporter Stan Chambers] One-hundred demonstrators from the California Veterans Movement picketed the Armed Forces Building on Wilshire Boulevard today. They were protesting the first call-up of draftees since the new draft law was signed. Later the demonstrators marched up and down Wilshire Boulevard in the vicinity of the Armed Forces Building. After it became apparent the protesters were trying to block traffic on Wilshire, the demonstration was declared an unlawful assembly. Participants were given eight minutes... (sound cuts out) Stan Chambers, Action News, Armed Forces Building on Wilshire Boulevard. [Silence] [Protester's singing] "All we are saying, is give peace a chance"... All We are saying..." [Police Announcement over Bullhorn] Please depart... [Crowd and street noise]. [Police, over bullhorn] This is an unlawful assembly. [Crowd and traffic noise]. [Protestor] Ten hut! [Police, over bullhorn] This is an unlawful assembly. Those remaining in this general area will be arrested. You have six minutes to disperse. [Street noise] [Protester talking] Why don't we go back to [unintelligible] three minute ceremony... [Street noise] [Protester's singing over one another] Bring us home. Bring our brothers home... [Street noise]. [Protest song] "All we are saying, is give peace a chance. All we are saying, is give peace a chance. All we are saying, is give peace a chance. All we are saying, is give peace a chance. All we are saying, is give peace a chance. All we are saying..." [Chambers] Why are you demonstrating here today? [Protester] We're demonstrating down here today for... to express our opinions of... the veterans here, which are about 95% of the people marching here today. And we've come down here to say that we are uh... tired of what the military machine has been doing to our country. We've come back to give our gut level experiences- what we've seen, what we did and what we heard what we've seen, what we did and what we heard. We're here to speak of the despicable conditions of the Veterans Administration hospitals, throughout the country. To say that we want and end to the war, and that we are tired of being the police of the nation, and of the world. [Chambers] What do you hope to accomplish by a demonstration such as this? [Protester] To inform the people that... the people that they have sent over there have a legal, legal gripe to come back and speak to them of what they have gone through. What the whole condition of the military complex is about. To put an end to the war and to put... put an end to the... to the men that go to every parts of the world to, to help police the other parts. [Chambers] Are you planning any other demonstration of this type? [Protester] Right, we're planning on quite a few. We'll keep going until...probably 'til we drop. [Chambers] Have you talked to anybody in the inside there? [Protester] They've blocked us off quite a bit. They don't let us through the door. So it's quite bad. They won't let us in there and... we're just hoping to tell the draftees that they better start thinking that they do have another alternative to turn to. [Chambers] I understand that some of the draftees are leaving by buses today. Have you seen any of them go? Do you plan to have any contact with them? [Protester] I haven't seen any go. I heard that they were shipped out earlier this morning. I don't know how true that was, but we'll keep looking and we may uh... go over and try to talk to 'em. [microphone mute] Okay, thank you. [Street noise]. [Chambers] Over a hundred demonstrated today from the California Veterans Movement. They picketed the Armed Forces Building on Wilshire Boulevard protesting the first large group call-up of draftees since the new draft law was signed. [Street noise]. [Chambers] Other demonstrations are planned by the California Veterans Movement at locations throughout Southern California. Stan Chambers...Action News...Armed Forces Building on Wilshire Boulevard. [Street noise] [Silence] [Police Announcement over Bullhorn] Attention! All of you in that crosswalk... [unintelligible, reporter microphone feedback]. [Car horns honking]. [Police over bullhorn] ...Wilshire Boulevard. Those remaining in the crosswalk will be arrested. [Crowd and traffic noise] [Silence] [Street noise]. [Protester yelling] To protect and serve! [Street noise]. [Silence]. [Street and crowd noise]. [Silence]. [Crowd noise and clapping]. [Police, over bullhorn] Attention! You now have three minutes to disperse. This is an unlawful assembly. I am Sargeant Rosa from the Police Department. A police officer for the City of Los Angeles. I hereby declare this to be an unlawful assembly, in the name of the people of the State of California, command all those assembled... [sound splice] ...penal code prohibits remaining persons an unlawful assembly. The following routes of dispersal are available. ...east and west bound on Wilshire Boulevard. [Street noise]. [TV crewmember] I said we're going now. I'll drive.