Joint Statement from JANM, Chinese American Museum, LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes, and Grand Performances on Los Angeles Protests

LOS ANGELES, CA – As museums and arts institutions located in downtown Los Angeles, we see everyday the vibrancy and joy of life in this community and throughout our beautiful city, shared and built by immigrants from all over the world. We take pride in the fact that many of our guests who visit us to enjoy the arts are from this community.

This weekend, a manufactured crisis marked by immigration raids and aggressive enforcement tactics provoked thousands of Angelenos to protest and stand up for their fellow community members. While we welcome and support public safety, we are shocked and disappointed by the unjustified police violence and the presence of the National Guard in response to the protestors exercising their constitutional rights, and heartbroken to see the devastating effects here on our doorsteps. Declaring all of downtown an “unlawful” assembly further aggravates the situation by impeding people's rights to live, visit, and work in their own neighborhood. 

We oppose the unjust mass deportation of immigrants and the unconstitutional presence of the military in our city. We fully support the community’s right to peacefully assemble and make their voices heard. While there may be individuals whose purpose is to instigate violence and chaos, they are not the majority; and we do not want people to fear coming into downtown Los Angeles. It is the heart of one of the most diverse cities in the world where everyone is welcomed.

We love LA.

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