BEVERLYPRESS.COM INSIDE • Upgrades at Television City Partly cloudy, pg. 3 with sun this • Robbery on weekend Melrose pg. 4 Volume 31 No. 13 Serving West Hollywood, Hancock Park, Beverly Hills and Wilshire Communities April 1, 2021 BH nighttime protest WeHo prepares for pared-down Pride n Smaller celebration ordinance struck down this year to jumpstart n Charges dismissed against protesters plans for Pride 2022 BY CAMERON KISZLA ordinance were dismissed. The BY CAMERON KISZLA defendants protested police brutali- Beverly Hills suffered a setback ty and racism on North Alpine This year’s Pride month cele- in court on March 19 when Los Drive, a residential street, last sum- brations in West Hollywood are Angeles Superior Court Judge mer after the death of George likely to be held mostly virtually. Mark Windham declared the city’s Floyd. Attorney Jeffrey Douglas, The West Hollywood City ordinance limiting nighttime who was joined by co-counsel Bess Council’s Pride Subcommittee protests in residential neighbor- Stiffelman in responding to the met on March 24, and subcommit- hoods to be unconstitutional. city’s arguments on behalf of all 25 tee members Councilwoman Sepi Windham’s ruling means that defendants, said Windham did the Shyne and Councilman John charges against the 25 people who D’Amico cast doubt on any plans photo by Jon Viscott/courtesy of the city of West Hollywood were arrested in the city under the See Protesters page 22 for a city-sponsored celebration Large public celebrations of Pride haven’t been held in West Hollywood on public property. since 2019, when they were put on by Christopher Street West. Instead, they expressed support for a potential four-weekend cele- it could disperse the crowd or it Orange tiers. Kristin Cook, the bration where businesses – at could just make everyone so excit- city’s public safety director, said least, the ones legally allowed to ed to come to West Hollywood it’s unlikely a street party will be operate in accordance with because they’ve been stuck in their allowed by June, as the Orange COVID-19 public safety regula- homes ... We’re going to have and Yellow tiers don’t allow it, tions – could host their own crowds and crowds, and then we’ll and “I can’t imagine they’re going events, similar to the dineL.A. be a hot spot, an outbreak situa- to take us out of yellow by June.” program for local restaurants. tion. So for me, having a digital Instead, the council members They also favored a virtual con- program component is really what proposed that the city could focus cert or program to mark Pride. I want to focus on,” Shyne said. on a digital presence this year and “For me, this year, it’s a hard City staff members added that allow the businesses to host their ‘no’ on any in-person events … I the state is not likely to allow large own celebrations, though those photo courtesy of the Beverly Hills Police Department feel that if we promote anything in public gatherings, despite the smaller celebrations could be con- Protesters frequented Beverly Hills last year after the death of George person, the crowds are going to county’s recent progression from Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officers. come. Even if it’s four weekends, the Purple Tier to the Red and See Pride page 22 Robertson closure draws neighbors’ criticism n Residents push back Beverly Grove resident against planned weekend street closure dies in alleged stabbing n Suspect allegedly Medical Examiner-Coroner iden- BY JUSTIN SAYERS tified the victim as Gabriel murdered victim during Donnay. West Hollywood West residents burglary and then After finding the victim, offi- expressed strong concern about a stabbed himself cers established a perimeter and plan to close off parts of Robertson searched for a suspect, Kinchla Boulevard on weekends to stimu- said. They located another man’s late business, saying that it was BY EDWIN FOLVEN body in the yard of a residence in passed without their input and will the 6600 block of Fifth Street, bring noise, traffic and other A man who police believe was just north of the house where the “chaos” into their neighborhoods. likely a transient died from a self- victim was found. The second Those comments were made on inflicted stab wound after man was also suffering from a Wednesday, March 24, during a allegedly murdering a resident in stab wound and police believe he neighborhood association meeting Beverly Grove on March 29. stabbed himself. Paramedics pro- with city staff to discuss the plan, a Officers from the Los Angeles nounced the man dead at the few weeks after the West photo courtesy of Pump Police Department’s Wilshire scene. He was identified by the Hollywood City Council unani- As part of the plan, restaurants will be able to expand into the street, sim- Division received a call about a coroner’s office as Enoch mously voted to initiate the pilot ilar to the city’s Outdoor Use Temporary Zone program. burglary in progress in the 6600 Connors, 33. program to close North Robertson block of Maryland Drive at Police do not have an exact Boulevard just south of Santa Plans for the space include a The closure, which is near popu- approximately 4:30 p.m., police motive for the crime. They sur- Monica Boulevard to vehicles start- farmers’ market, as well as tents lar spots like Pump Restaurant and said. When they arrived, neigh- mise it was a murder committed ing at 6 p.m. on Saturdays until 2 and booths for vendors, pedestrian Lounge, the Abbey and SUR bors directed officers to a resi- during a burglary. a.m. on Mondays. areas, space for yoga and kids Restaurant and Lounge, is expected dence where they found a male “It appears the victim and the The closure is designed to essen- zones. At night, some of the restau- to go into effect in mid-to-late April victim suffering from multiple suspect were not known to each tially serve as an extension of the rants would operate outside with with a soft opening, followed by a stab wounds. Paramedics other,” he said. “There is nothing city’s Outdoor Use Temporary expanded dining. At least one – the grand opening in late April or early responded and pronounced the to suggest it is anything other Zones project, which allows busi- Abbey Food and Bar – has already May. man dead at the scene. Det. Sean than an isolated incident.” nesses impacted by COVID-19 to expressed interest in moving out- “The first couple weekends, Kinchla, with the LAPD’s West The murder and suspect’s operate in the street, according to side, and would provide security to we’re aiming to have between five Bureau Homicide Unit, said the death have caused concern in the Tara Worden, business develop- queue patrons safely and have victim was 31 years old. The Los See page ment analyst for the city. spaced-out seating. See Robertson page 21 Angeles County Department of Stabbing 21 2 April 1, 2021 Beverly Press/Park Labrea News CALENDAR Official results released scholar Matteo Cacco, and Gordon Moving” available for viewing from MOCA film Pattison, who grew up in one of Tuesday, April 6, through Sunday, Join the Museum of Contemporary Bunker Hill’s former mansions. The April 11. “Keep Moving,” created by Art Los Angeles for a virtual screen- cost is $10. esotouric.com/webinars. Monica Bill Barnes and Robbie for Mid City West election ing and panel discussion on the film Saenz de Viteri, in collaboration with n Two races now tied sentatives, six nonprofit representa- “Does Your House Have Lions” 16 dancers from Hunter College, tives, six business representatives, (2021) on Friday, April 2, at 11 a.m. offers insight into the dancers’ stories The 48-minute film by Delhi-based Art and poetry and headed for seven geographic zone representa- The Los Angeles County Museum of and how they are preserving their poet Vqueeram Aditya Sahai and Los tives and eight at-large representa- Art is holding a virtual art and poetry identity while theaters are closed dur- a drawing Angeles-based artist Vishal Jugdeo tives. workshop on Sunday, April 4, from ing the pandemic. The program will documents Delhi, Bombay and Goa 12:30 to 9 p.m. Create a poem with be shown in 10 chapters through the By justin sayers The election, which featured all from January 2019 to September educator Alicia Vogl Saenz, The week. The performance is free but mail-in ballots, was held last 2020, and the intensified political event is part of the Andell Family requires reservations 24 hours in The Los Angeles City Clerk’s month. The deadline to formalize atmosphere in India. A discussion fol- Sundays Anytime series. Admission advance. cap.ucla.edu. office has released the official results was April 1. Winning candi- lowing the screening will include is free. lacma.org/event/andell-fami- results for the Mid City West dates will take over their seats by subjects from the film. Admission is ly-sundays-anytime-write-art-poem. Community Council election, and the next general board meeting, free. moca.org. scheduled to be held via Zoom on Hate crimes panel two of the races are headed for a Join the Holocaust Museum LA and drawing of the lot. April 13. leaders from the AAPI, Black, Jewish The races for Zone 6 and 7 repre- Almost all of this year’s Mid City Interactive theater IAMA Theatre and Latinx communities for a discus- sentatives, which were separated by West candidates lumped them- “Clue” meets Chinatown in sion on hate crimes on Wednesday, one vote in the unofficial results, selves into a pair of slates – the Mid “Underneath the Freeways of Los Company Enjoy IAMA Theatre Company’s vir- April 7, at 11 a.m., via Zoom.