There were four fights among large groups of teens on the streets of Pacific Palisades on Wednesday, June 5.
CTN received a video of a fight that started in the Big Blue Bus, the driver watched as a girl was dragged off the bus and pummeled on the sidewalk. She held her head to protect it from the blows. Is this a crime in the City of Los Angeles?
The buses in Pacific Palisades have been rocked with lawlessness and chaos as was reported in a June 3 story (“Teens Terrorizing and Harassing Bus Drivers/Riders”).
A reader wrote on May 29: “My housekeeper, who takes the bus, along with all the other hard-working housekeepers, is being screamed at by Palisades High School kids on the bus. They take two seats, one for themselves and one for their backpack. They yell at the bus driver. They don’t pay. What can be done?”
Another said, “My housekeeper of more 35 years has traveled on the bus (two hours each way) for years. Last week she arrived about 15 minutes later than usual because there was a bad altercation on the # 9 Blue Bus – kids (teens) were harassing the bus driver who finally just stopped the bus and called security.”
The housekeeper told another resident, “Es terrible. No les importa.” (They don’t care.)and reported students push nonstudents out of the way to get on the bus. The students take a seat for themselves and one for their backpack. Most of the older people have to stand.
The woman said kids yell obscenities and they get on the bus and don’t pay. When the driver asks for the payment, students scream at him.
“Bus drivers must also feel unsafe,” another wrote.
CTN contacted Mayor Karen Bass, who is currently trying to tackle Metro safety, Councilmember Traci Park and the City of Santa Monica
Santa Monica’s Public Information Officer Lauren Howland responded with a press release that stated that specially trained unarmed officers will ensure passengers feel comfortable and assist riders with route and fare information, address safety concerns and educate riders about the Big Blue’s Bus’s Code of Conduct.
CTN asked Howland, “explain to me again how this addresses the concerns of kids terrorizing working people?” She did not respond.
Park’s office responded but did not have a comment. Bass’ office did not respond, but supposedly, the Mayor is asking to deploy uniformed officers to ride buses and trains and will have plexiglass barriers installed around drivers. The mayor also wants to enable cell service in underground stations and aboard moving buses and trains.
So now on top of a broken bus system that costs a fortune, we will need to place a police officer on each one to monitor these derelict kids’ behavior? How much money will that cost taxpayers, because our mayor and DA refuse to enforce existing laws against criminals?
And this is why we send our kids to private school….
Elections have consequences, wake up people!
This is disgusting. This is a hate crime.
Any parent who sends their child to Pali Hi is CRAZY.
If you have a high school student and you cannot afford private school,
MOVE. Because this is not going to change.
The mayors office does not care and it seems the “voters” DO NOT CARE either.
Why do I say that?
Because the voters keep voting in the same politicians who allow this to happen.
At risk of being mis-labeled a racist, it does appear that there is a common denominator of the people shown fighting in the video. Girls. African-Americans. Is that irrelevant? Or not?