One of the 10 signs stolen within a day or two of placement from Friday to Monday. The signs publicize the ‘peaceful No Kings Rally 2.0’ set to begin at 3 p.m. this Saturday, Oct. 18, near Ashley Pond. Courtesy/Tyler Taylor
To deter thieves, signs are now embedded in concrete, placed in buckets with zip ties, and placed in areas where video cameras are present. This one is near Los Alamos High School. Four of these signs in concrete have been placed along Trinity Drive within the view of the police cameras. The fifth one was placed on Diamond Drive next to the LAHS parking lot, close to the stadium. It was stolen this morning between 9:30 and 11:50. Video from a nearby camera will be reviewed to hopefully identify the thief. Courtesy/Tyler Taylor
By CAROL A. CLARK
Los Alamos Daily Post
caclark@ladailypost.com
Los Alamos Indivisible member Tyler Taylor reported to police that of the 14 signs publicizing the ‘No Kings Day 2.0’ event occurring this Saturday and placed around the community late Friday and Saturday, 10 had been stolen by Monday. Another sign embedded in concrete inside a bucket was stolen this morning.
“Of the 14 signs placed (90% on public land), 4 remain, and I’ve picked them up. Nine more are being placed by friends in the White Rock area, and we hope they’ll make it through this Saturday,” Taylor explained in his report to police. “I can imagine officers may be thinking that this is a small crime, and giving it low priority.”
Taylor detailed the reasons he considers it a big deal:
- Freedom of political speech is fundamental in the U.S., and more threats to it in 2025 is ominous;
- The >100 people in Indivisible Los Alamos – a very politically active and nonviolent group – are now going to hear of this and some may feel more tempted to retaliate somehow against Trump supporters. Is that what we want in America at this moment?; and
- Any $150 theft shouldn’t become an “oh well” thing in our community.
Los Alamos Indivisible will participate in the No Kings Day 2.0 peaceful protest beginning at 3 p.m. this Saturday, Oct. 18, at Ashley Pond Park. No Kings Day is a national day of action and mass mobilization in response to “increasing authoritarian excesses and corruption from Trump and his allies”, organizers said.
To learn more about Los Alamos Indivisible, email IndivisibleLosAlamos@proton.me.
To learn about the national organization, visit indivisible.org.
One of the 10 signs stolen within a day or two of placement from Friday to Monday. Courtesy/Tyler Taylor
One of the 10 signs stolen within a day or two of placement from Friday to Monday. Courtesy/Tyler Taylor
Dear Corporal Gonzales,
Since I reported to you on Saturday evening that 8 of the 14 signs I had placed were stolen, 2 more were stolen as follows:
1) One was on the County property at the corner of Trinity and 41st St., where there’s a small adobe bldg. It was there yesterday at 4:15 PM when my friend saw it walking, and was gone when I arrived at 5:15 PM. I have a picture of it, taken right after it was placed on Sat.
2) One was on the small triangle of County property that is across Nectar St. from the grassy area on the Bathtub Row Brew Pub property. (That triangle is also adjacent to the parking for the small soccer field park.) I believe I placed it Sat. in the late afternoon and it was gone when I came to get it at about 5:45 PM yesterday.
Re: #1, there are houses nearby on Trinity and 41st St. and it’s possible someone saw that sign get lifted yesterday. Or maybe they have a video camera that recorded it. I hope you’ll check on that.
Of the 14 signs placed (90% on public land), 4 remain and I’ve picked them up. Nine more are being placed by friends in the White Rock area and we hope they’ll make it through Sat.
Yesterday, I remembered that one of the signs was placed near the edge of Ashley Pond Park, within about 10 yds. of the small stone bldg. there and about 3 yds off of Trinity. Would a sign theft there have been recorded by the cameras near the Justice Ctr.?
I spoke with Sgt. Wilhoit last evening at some length about the newly missing signs, the cameras, and how we might all proceed. He advised I send you this info.
I also spoke today with Ms. Danyelle Valdez, County Planning Mgr. and Sgt. Willamson(?) re: our plan now to put our 5 remaining signs near the Justice Ctr. and Ashley Pond, where they will be near LAPD cameras. They will be in small buckets of concrete that rest on the ground. Hopefully this gives us double deterrence.
I can imagine officers maybe thinking that this is a small crime, and giving it low priority. The reasons I consider it a big deal are:
- a) Freedom of political speech is fundamental in the U.S. And more threats to it in 2025 is ominous;
- b) The >100 people in Indivisible Los Alamos – a very politically active and nonviolent group – are now going to hear of this and some may feel more tempted to retaliate somehow against Trump supporters. Is that what we want in America at this moment?
- c) Any $150 theft shouldn’t become an “oh well” thing in our community;
So we are counting on LAPD to take this seriously, and I would personally appreciate anything you can do. I’ll be writing a letter-to-the editor (the Daily Post) about this tonight.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Tyler Taylor