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A28 u.s. news
Diahuebs 4 augustus 2022

Los Angeles OKs sweeping ban on homeless camps near schools

ban on sitting, sleeping or District officials told the Los The camps “are unsafe and
camping that currently only Angeles Times, which said traumatic for students, fami-
applies to daycare centers nearly 1,000 commercial day- lies and staff as they enter
and schools specified by the care businesses are registered school campuses,” Martha
council. The vote, which ap- with the city. The next public Alvarez, who is in charge of
plies to public and private school year starts on Aug. 15. government relations for the
schools, came after a previous school district, told the coun-
vote last month failed to pass Los Angeles is among many cil.
unanimously. cities struggling to deal with
a surge in homelessness and Opponents, including home-
The meeting was recessed large encampments scattered less advocates, said the mea-
for about an hour before the along sidewalks that have sure would further criminal-
vote after dozens of people sparked public outcry. ize homelessness.
became unruly, at one point
chanting “shut it down!” Supporters of the blanket The ban comes as several
ban said homeless camps are hotels are set to end their
(AP) — The Los Angeles that was disrupted by pro- A second and final vote will a health and safety threat to involvement in the govern-
City Council voted Tues- testers who said it crimi- still be needed next week. schoolchildren, especially be- ment’s Project Roomkey,
day to ban homeless en- nalizes homelessness. cause of the disruptive pres- which paid them to provide
campments within 500 About 750 public school sites ence of people with drug ad- hundreds of rooms to un-
feet of schools and daycare The council voted 11-3 to are within the city limits, dictions or mental illness. sheltered people.
centers during a meeting vastly broaden an existing Los Angeles Unified School

Alex Jones concedes Sandy Hook attack was ’100% real’

(AP) — Conspiracy theo- the lawsuit against him as an rigged and featuring a photo the court an email from an In a gripping exchange, Lewis
rist Alex Jones testified attack on his First Amend- of the judge in flames. Then Infowars business officer in- spoke directly to Jones, who
Wednesday that he now ment rights — told the jury came another clip of Jones forming Jones that the com- was sitting about 10 feet away.
understands it was irre- that any compensation above asking if the jury was selected pany had earned $800,000 Earlier that day, Jones was on
sponsible of him to de- $2 million “will sink us,” but from a group of people “who gross in selling its products his broadcast program tell-
clare the Sandy Hook Ele- added: “Ï think it’s appropri- don’t know what planet” they in a single day, which would ing his audience that Heslin
mentary School massacre ate for whatever you decide live on. Jones said he didn’t amount to nearly $300 mil- is “slow” and being manipu-
a hoax and that he now what you want to do.” mean that part literally. lion in a year. Jones said that lated by bad people.
believes it was “100% real.” was the company’s best day
Testimony in the trial, which Bankston said Jones hadn’t in sales. At one point, Lewis asked
Speaking a day after the par- is in its second week, con- complied with court orders Jones: “Do you think I’m an
ents of a 6-year-old boy who cluded at around midday and to provide text message and Jones’ testimony came a day actor?”
was killed in the 2012 attack closing arguments were ex- emails for pretrial evidence after Heslin and Lewis told
testified about the suffering, pected to begin Wednesday gathering. Jones said, “I don’t the courtroom in Austin, “No, I don’t think you’re an
death threats and harassment afternoon. use email,” then was showed where Jones and his compa- actor,” Jones responded be-
they’ve endured because of one gathered from another nies are based, that Jones and fore the judge admonished
what Jones has trumpeted Jones was the only person source that came from his the false hoax claims he and him to be quiet until called to
on his media platforms, the who testified in his own de- email address. He replied: “I Infowars pushed made their testify.
Infowars host told a Texas fense. His attorney asked him must have dictated that.” lives a “living hell” of death
courtroom that he definitely if he now understands it was threats, online abuse and ha- Heslin told the jury about
thinks the attack happened. “absolutely irresponsible” to At one point, Bankston in- rassment. holding his son with a bullet
push the false claims that the formed Jones that his at- hole through his head, even
“Especially since I’ve met the massacre didn’t happen and torneys had mistakenly sent They led a day of charged describing the extent of the
parents. It’s 100% real,” Jones no one died. Bankston the last two years’ testimony Tuesday that in- damage to his son’s body. A
said at his trial to determine worth of texts from Jones’ cluded the judge scolding key segment of the case is a
how much he and his media Jones said he does, but added, cellphone. the bombastic Jones for not 2017 Infowars broadcast that
company, Free Speech Sys- “They (the media) won’t let being truthful with some of said Heslin didn’t hold his
tems, owe for defaming Neil me take it back.” The attorney also showed what he said under oath. son.
Heslin and Scarlett Lewis.
Their son Jesse Lewis was He also complained that
among the 20 students and he’s been “typecast as some-
six educators who were killed one that runs around talking
in the attack in Newtown, about Sandy Hook, makes
Connecticut, which was the money off Sandy Hook, is
deadliest school shooting in obsessed by Sandy Hook.”
American history.
Under a withering cross-
But Heslin and Lewis said examination from attorney
Tuesday that an apology Mark Bankston, Jones ac-
wouldn’t suffice and that knowledged his history of
Jones needed to be held ac- raising conspiracy claims re-
countable for repeatedly garding other mass tragedies,
spreading falsehoods about from the Oklahoma City and
the attack. They are seek- Boston Marathon bombings
ing at least $150 million in to the mass shootings in Las
the trial, which was held to Vegas and Parkland, Florida.
determine how much Jones
and his media company, Free Bankston then went after
Speech Systems, must pay for Jones’ credibility, showing
defaming Heslin and Lewis. an Infowars video clip from
last week when a host — not
Jones — who has portrayed Jones — claimed the trial was