Posted: January 4th, 2008

A Malibu resident issues a venomous invective demanding that the city council cut off public access to public lands: “as God is my witness, I will recall every single person I can that votes the wrong way . . . . I grew up in Florida in a resort city. This looks like the most hellacious city I’ve ever seen in my life. You’ve told me, Barovsky, that you were going to clean up this, this illegal slave operation we have out in front of, of the city hall. We don’t even know if they’re illegal or not. We don’t know who could have been starting fires anywhere.” Reflecting a sense of entitlement and exclusivity, Malibu residents applauded this acerbic message, but tried to drown out advocates who spoke up for public access for all.

Read about the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy plan to increase public access to public parks in Malibu and the Free the Beach! campaign.