On the one-year anniversary of the Palisades Fire, nearly 1,000 people rallied at the Palisades Village, demanding accountability from those they feel are responsible for the damage.
At the “They Let Us Burn” rally, people carried signs and wore shirts, demanding Mayor Karen Bass and Governor Gavin Newsom resign. Organizers also passed around a list of community imperatives, including waiver of permit and inspection fees, suspension of property taxes until homes are rebuilt, enforceable brush clearance and comprehensive evacuation planning, and insurance policy reforms applied to damaged or destroyed properties.
“California leadership at the city and state level failed,” Jeremy Padawer, one of the organizers of the rally, said. “They let us burn one year ago in ineptitude, gross negligence, lack of proper planning, lack of resources, lack of people, and purposeful policy that let it burn. And today, today we rise like a phoenix. The Palisades dolphin is no longer blue. We are red, orange, and gold - the color of fire. You did this to us, leadership. This is our origin story.”
Adam Jarret told KNX News’ Pete Demetriou there was a unity of purpose.
“I mean, there are multiple people to be held accountable for it,” he said. “I mean, it could start all the way up the food chain and not the finger-point, but like literally letting us burn. There was no plan, no true evacuation, and nothing preventative.”
Reality TV star Spencer Pratt was among those who spoke at the rally. In his speech, he announced he would be running for mayor.
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