This was my 15th straight year at the Rose Parade, and the last two years in a row in same spot (near the Chevron at 1400 E. Colorado Ave. Pasadena CA 91106) ...we went to the Rose Parade and like many others stood by the sidewalk as the floats went by.
Halfway thru the parade last year (2018) the guy claiming to be the owner came up to my wife & I and started yelling at us to GET OFF his grass..the little strip near the sidewalk which actually may be public property.
Needless to say, there were others on the grass as well, but he chose to TAKE OUT HIS ANGER at me because I was standing on a bucket, and he CLAIMED I was blocking the view of the people in their motor homes who he rents out the parking lot to for parade viewing.
This OWNER seemed to care nothing about the parade or the people, ONLY about the money he was making from the motor homes. Furthermore, instead of asking nicely if we could move one way or another to appease his motor home customers, he made it a POWER & CONTROL issue..ie confrontational.
Hence, we refused to move, and told him to go get the police if he thinks we are breaking the law. So he stomped away angrily and came back with a sheriff deputy, who said he was "NOT SURE" if this was private property or not.
The deputy (last year, 2018) handled it perfectly, saying, "if you just move your bucket ahead two inches on to the sidewalk , this silly issue is resolved."
I agreed because the deputy was cool about it.
/// FAST FORWARD to 2019, same scenario, ..again the Chevron owner waited until halfway thru the parade to CONFRONT ME & my wife. It was obvious he had PRE-PLANNED it this time.. he came with another fellow & immediately GOT IN MY FACE saying "GET OFF MY GRASS.."
BY the way, this time there was nobody in a motor home behind me. They were on the roof . Nobody's view was blocked. He was ANGRY from a year ago ! Once again I said, "Go get the police" ..so perpetrator #1 stomps away while perpetrator #2 holds up his arm trying to block my camera as I filmed the parade (I've been doing this every year for many years) .
I would move my camera and he would jump up and try to block the camera like a basketball player, and also started pushing up against me with his body. It was VERY IMMATURE & PETULANT & offensive, to say the least.
Perp #1 returned w/ 2 deputies and I realized he had CONCOCTED A STORY as if I was disturbing people..the deputies arrived expecting to find a troublemaker . Perp #1 had gotten them RILED UP in advance.
Instead of calmly investigating whether any laws were being broken that they needed to "enforce", they came by like "bouncers" working for the Chevron perp.
Meanwhile, I was losing valuable film time. I take great pride in filming the entire parade and have followers who are waiting to watch. I acquiesced for the time being and my wife & I moved off to a different area, but it DEFINITELY left a bad taste in our mouth & also other spectators who were on our side (which was ALL of them).
Also, after moving to a new location, I noticed the two deputies who acted like bouncers more than trained law enforcement , walk into the Chevron and one came out with food , making me wonder if the perpetrator owner basically "bribed" them to do his bidding (maybe these are reserve deputies ?
Later I asked for their names, and they refused to tell me. & they also refused to tell me the name of their supervisor. & they did NOT have name tags or badges displayed. This is a separate matter which I will address to the L.A. Sheriff Dept) / So that's the story of the CHEVRON perp.
He cares about money, not about people. And he holds a grudge..I don't know what his background or religion is, but it's A little scary. I'm glad he doesn't know my name or address.
I ask CHEVRON corporation to intervene ! I am a good law-abiding citizen. I do NOT deserve to be mistreated as I was. -John Vander- (BA/BA/M.Div)