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10.01.2023 – 10.31.2023 December 2024
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LOS ANGELES 1
THE LOS ANGELES LGBT NEWSPAPER
Safer WeHo Pilot Program Launched by City Burbank Mayor Faces Backlash Over Playful of WestCites Hollywood Effort to Enhance Video, Critics in Anti-LGBTQ+ Bias Mayor Konstantine Public Safety Anthony Defends Pilot Initiative Actions Amid Includes Drones, Controversy Over Real-Time Cameras, Video and Central By Dolores Quintana Monitoring Hub
Burbank Mayor Konstantine Anthony is The City of West Hollywood, in facing criticism from conservatives following partnership with the Los Angeles County the circulation of a video showing him being Sheriff’s Department, has initiated Safer spanked by a drag queen during an event WeHo, a year-long pilot program aimed at on the weekend of September 10. Anthony bolstering public safety through advanced has responded that some of his critics are technology equipment.bias and that the motivated byand anti-LGBTQ+ The program includes several innovative incident was harmless. initiatives: In the video, posted by the Wisenuts podcast, • Drone asis First (DFR): Mayor Anthony seen Responder being spanked by The DFR program to enhance public a drag artist, backedaims by the Village People’s “Macho Man.” Anthony described the events as “shenanigans” and emphasized that it was
all in good fun. He went on to reveal that a secretly recorded video was made during the event and subsequently shared with a safety by providing prominent hate group.real-time aerial views of In incidents. will be dispatched to a post on Drones his Instagram account, Anthony various calls for service, potentially destated, “For several days, extremist right-wing escalating high-risk situations. The have city organizations, including Fox News, emphasized that drones will not be used spread misleading information to fuel fear, for surveillanceand of hate. the community. discrimination, I will always be a • Fixed Real-Time Cameras: Over proud supporter of the LGBTQ+ community 50 strategically placed cameras will be and drag performers.” installed throughout West Hollywood to He added, “On a busy Saturday filled with aid in crime resolution and provide realvarious independent gatherings, I attended time information to first Democrats’ responders.private the Santa Clarita Valley • Real-Time Watch Center: fundraiser for their organization. Notably, A centralized monitoring hub at the there were no officially endorsed candidates West Station will or stateHollywood and federal Sheriff’s political figures present. oversee feedsto young from adults drones The event live was open agesand 15 cameras, to and above.allowing However, for thereswift were response no attendees emergencies. below 18. Additionally, no children were To inform residents and businesses present.” about thenot program, the city has launched While specifying the particular hate an that groupawareness in question,campaign it is possible that includes Anthony was referring to the Twitter account, now known as X, called “Libs of TikTok,” which
reposted the video and garnered over 8 million views. In response to the video, the Libs of TikTok account claimed that children were present at the event. Mayor Anthony disputed this assertion, stating that “actually, there weren’t any children at this private 21+ event. But of course, lying is totally on brand for you.” While the account correctly pointed out that individuals aged 15 and older were permitted to attend, the event’s organizer, the Santa Clarita Valley Democrats, released a statement clarifying that no individuals under the age of 18 were in attendance. mailed digital PSAs in transit Mayormaterials, Anthony reiterated this point during shelters and pedestrian kiosks, and media a City Council meeting and expressed his outreach. members had are led also concern thatCommunity the video’s circulation to invited to attend in-person to city officials receiving “some of meetings the most vile learn morethat about and its hate speech I havethe everprogram seen.” objectives. Anthony encouraged those with concerns The his Safer WeHo pilot programwith is part about actions to communicate him of the city's broader effort to improve directly via email at kanthony@burbankca. public of tolifetalkthrough gov. Hesafety stated,and “If quality you want to me about what happened over the weekend, send me an email. Send me an email. I will talk to
The October 10 crash claimed the life of Esther Abouab and left her husband, Joe, seriouslyHall, injured. happened at Thomson whereThe the wreck documentary was set the intersection of Fountain and Spaulding to be screened. Avenues in West “Our Hollywood when their Lung stated, standard security Ford Expedition struck by this Bruno’s measures remained was in place during time, FordtheEscape SUV. Abouab with died aatslight the and screening commenced scene, while Joe Abouab was rushed to delay. To our knowledge, this was a general the hospital. threat and not directed at the film or the artist.” The family has set up a GoFundMe fundraising page that says, “A reckless driver racing through a residential neighborhood ran through a red light and collided with our parents’ car. The force of the impact sent them across four lanes of traffic and into the gate of an underground garage.” It adds that Joe Abouab’s injuries included two shattered ankles and that even after being released from the hospital, he will require physical therapy to be able to walk again and round-theclock care since he is now bedridden.
Bruno is now facing multiple charges, including second-degree murder, reckless driving, and battery peace officer. A spokesperson for on thea Toronto police security swept the scene and cleared it within Witnesses reported that Bruno’s informed CTV News Toronto that thevehicle threat 20 minutes,” noted Constable Victor Kwong. was traveling at a speed exceeding the had been conveyed to the festival’s private Toronto police also clarified that the threat 25 mph limit on Spaulding Avenue at the security by acollision. passerby. “Out of an abundance had a general nature and did not specifically time of the of The caution, the Toronto and the family private target any individualendorsement or entity. tragedy has leftpolice the Abouab and controversial of Donald devastated. Greg Morris, the couple’s son, Trump, which shocked many in West said, “My family is in complete anguish Hollywood’s LGBTQ+ community. The BACK over the senseless and violent murderOR of UNFILES my precious mother. She was the glue first post on his Instagram scoffs at the of our family and really the center of all closure of New Zealand during the 2021 our universe.”, as quoted by NBC Los outbreak of Covid 19. The Sheriff's Department only found out Angeles. ALLhisFORMS • ALL TYPES • ALL STATES Just days before scooter accident, that he was hospitalized when they raided Bruno was photographed by DailyMail. his home in an attempt to arrest him. B. MOSES, com allegedly sniffing SAMUEL white powder, Currently,CPA Bruno remains unconscious which he claimed was prescription and in grave condition at a Los Angeles ketamine in an Instagram post, on a West hospital, as reported the Daily Mail. Hollywood Bruno’s 100sidewalk. Wilshire Blvd.,behavior Suite 1753 • Santa Monicaby90401 Legal proceedings related to the fatal and legal troubles have attracted significant public attention, exacerbated by his recent crash are ongoing.
you about it. There is no reason to involve all of the other people who were not at a public event, not at a government-sponsored event. It wasn’t even in the city of Burbank.” itsInCommunity Department, which a statementSafety released on Tuesday, the oversees law enforcement and coordinates Santa Clarita Valley Democrats voiced their community support for programs. Mayor Anthony and strongly For more visit city’s denounced theinformation, sensationalized and the inaccurate website at go.weho.org/saferweho or portrayal of their event for political purposes download the “Community Safety in the that promoted fear, homophobia, transphobia, City of WestThe Hollywood” at weho. and bigotry. Democrats guide reaffirmed their org. commitment to the LGBTQ+ community and drag performers, refusing to engage with what they referred to as “fake outrage.”
Garrett Bruno, Social Media Influencer, Facing Murder Charge Bomb Threat Temporarily Halts “Lil Nas After Death of Montero” 83-Year-Old Woman at TIFF X: Long Live Premiere MAGA Influencer Gravely Premiere Injured in of World Scooter Accident, Documentary Was Police Unaware Screened After During Attempted 20-Minute Delay Arrest
Garrett Bruno, 33,Quintana a conservative travel By Dolores
influencer known for his controversial social mediaof “Lil presence, remains The premiere Nas X: Long Live hospitalized in Toronto critical International condition after Montero” at the Film a scooter accident Octobersetback 25. The Festival (TIFF) faced aon momentary on incident, in which Bruno was not Saturday night due to a bomb threat. wearing a Judy helmet, in President a skull of fracture Lung,resulted TIFF’s Vice Public and follows a series of troubling events, Affairs and Communications, confirmed to including allegedviainvolvement in a car CTV Newshis Toronto a written statement crash killed 83-year-old woman that thethat festival was an alerted to an investigation earlier month. “in the last vicinity of the red carpet” at Roy
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