Whereas protesters occupying Wall Street depend on a McDonald’s to relieve themselves, their counterparts in Los Angeles have port-a-potties. Whereas New York’s billionaire mayor and pepper-spraying police appear to have sided with the 1 percent, the L.A. City Council voted unanimously Wednesday to support the Occupy LA protesters camped outside City Hall.

Now the measure, which resolves that “the City of Los Angeles hereby stands in SUPPORT for the continuation of the peaceful and vibrant exercise in First Amendment Rights carried out by ‘Occupy Los Angeles,’ ” heads to Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s office. He isn’t a billionaire, but he has worked for the United Teachers of Los Angeles and the American Civil Liberties Union.

Of course we’re only joking that L.A. is “better than New York” (come winter we may revisit the issue), but right now it is a model of how a city can embrace a cause that affects all of us — or at least 99 percent of us.

However, the protesters aren’t letting the city off with merely making a statement of support. The council punted on a measure that would force the city to divest from naughty banks. That measure will continue to draw strength from the hundreds camped outside the building. — PZS

KCET:

“This country is going to hell in a hand basket,” said Council member Paul Koretz, who represents tony areas like Bel Air and Holmby Hills. “These are things worthy of protest and I thank them for speaking out and moving the debate forward.”

Other than general statements of support, City Council members did not debate the merits of Occupy LA’s goals or the main crux of the resolution, which supports “the continuation of the peaceful and vibrant exercise in First Amendment Rights” of the protestors, hundreds of them who are camping outside city hall (and vow to through December). Rather, the council focused on the other part of the resolution: logistics of hearing a responsible banking measure that was introduced over a year ago by Council member Richard Alarcon.

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#city council#los angeles#new york#occupy movement#occupy wall street#politics#wall street