By Rick Swinger
I was attacked Saturday night for taking pictures of this crazy girl throwing her bike against the cars on Rose. You can see me with my camera in my right hand and my left hand defending my body from her throwing herself at me like a goat! My thumb got smashed. That was just a few hours before this black guy in my picture on Rose pulled a box cutter out of his pocket and waved it at me!
I’ve been a photographer in Venice since 1980 and this is the first time I’ve been physically attacked. I even photographed the Huntington Beach Riot in 1986 without a scratch. I think we all should document the environment around us but it has its risks. I am a professional and I got hurt yesterday.
Take pictures but be careful!
ps I’ve been a photographer in Venice since 1980 and this is the first time I’ve been physically attacked. I think we all should document the environment around us but it has its risks. I am a professional and I got hurt yesterday.
Just the response I would expect from you, Graham. It’s always someone else’s fault. Has nothing to do with certain homeless people that have no disregard for their fellow human being. Hardworking people trying to contribute to society are the evil ones and certain of the homeless that want to hang out at the beach, destroy people’s property, continue to do drugs, harass people and not want to be helped are the victims. I bet you never had a kind word to say about the hardworking middleclass. You think your entitled. Spoiled brat.
I actually never called you racist. You cussed me out. I just pointed out to you what discrimination is and you had a problem with that. Mark Ryavec does discriminate by trying to get the city to deny people their human rights. You keep pointing out that you want a safe place to live. Most of us want that in Venice and the Westside. Homeless housing needs to be in Venice. More low income housing needs to be in Venice. The city’s idea of homeless and affordable housing in Venice is the first step. Making more social services available to the homeless and low income will also encompass this plan. Getting nit picky about who belongs in Venice and who doesn’t is discrimination. I am just repeating what I said to you before. Hope you learned something by now. I do have a family. I have 2 daughters. My family has been in Venice for over 100 years. We help built Venice with our bare hands. I work and I pay my do’s. The homeless and low income in Venice are my children too. I will do anything to help them. We need to Save Venice. http://www.savevenice.me
Y’know dude when you go around taking photos people without their permission you have to expect things like this to happen now and again. I was in the film business for years but frankly I can’t relate to all you guys who think that just because you have a camera that it gives you the right to shove it in people’s faces. If you see some crazy girl throwing a bike at cars why would you go and endanger yourself and your equipment by sticking your camera in her face ? Call the cops. Don’t throw yourself into the mix and then act the victim. What you did was just dumb. And when you take pictures of homeless people who are just trying to get through their day so you can post it on social media websites and make fun of them like many of you do ? That’s just rude. Maybe the guy waved a box-cutter you, maybe he didn’t. There’s always three sides to every story. But when you go around taking pictures of people just because you can ? Well then don’t complain when something happens because as far as I’m concerned people like you are just asking for trouble.