Picketer injured in Los Angeles
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Just minutes into the strike, the labor unrest has turned violent at one picket line: A writer for ‘Talkshow With Spike Feresten’ was struck by a sedan trying to cross the picket line at Sunset-Gower Studios early this morning, witnesses said.
The writer, identified as Tom Johnson, suffered a leg injury and was taken away in a wheelchair by paramedics. The incident occurred shortly after 9:30 a.m. at the studios off Sunset Boulevard when a driver in a Black Honda Element drove up to the employee parking lot on Gower Street, where picketers were marching. According to witnesses, the driver got out of the vehicle and began threatening to run over anyone who didn’t get out of his way. Witnesses said he then got back in the car and drove forward, hitting Johnson.
The striking writers descended on the vehicle and took away the driver’s keys. Johnson’s black tennis shoe was still lodged under the front passenger tire as he was taken away.
The driver, who witnesses said worked for Raleigh, was escorted from the scene by studio employees. Police had been notified, according to those at the scene.
UPDATE: Later in the day, Michael Moore, president of Raleigh Film and Television Studios, said witnesses were mistaken and that the driver was not an employee of Raleigh. Moore said the driver was a tenant of Sunset Gower Studios and had no affiliation with Raleigh.
-- Greg Braxton
I
