In the midst of a wave of cold and morning rain, at least a dozen Boyle Heights residents declared a hunger strike that will extend until Tuesday in protest at the start of the construction of a 5G wireless telephony tower by the Verizon company and fear of being victims of radiation contamination.
At the same time, renewed their repudiation by the East Los Angeles Community Corporation (ELACC), a non-profit entity that signed a contract for 25 years with Verizon Wireless in exchange for $ 25, 00 0 annually. In addition, they asked politicians not to abandon them: Councilor Kevin de León, Assemblyman Miguel Santiago, State Senator María Elena Durazo and Congressman Jimmy Gómez.
“I don’t know if we can stop this project or not, but we are showing people that it doesn’t matter what we have to do for what we believe to be true. These people are risking their health with this protest, but I think that when you do a peaceful protest you can get good results; we already saw it with Black Lives Matter, ”said Sarah Willcox, a fine arts artist who lived 14 years in Boyle Heights and joined the rally.
The project started in October of 2014 was unanimously approved by the members of the Boyle Heights Neighborhood Council. Some of its members were at the same time people who supported the work of ELACC.
“We don’t want another Exide, that’s why we protest,” said Brenda Martínez, the main anti-5G activist and one of the 10 people who declared the hunger strike.
All the protesters who went on hunger strike drank only water yesterday from 8 o’clock: 00 am, at 4: 00 pm
“We are facing an environmental injustice that is happening right under our noses,” added Martínez. “And we don’t want 30 Years later, our representatives come and tell us that nothing happened. ”
Permit
In fact, in August 25 of 2015, in a A “public hearing” with the East Los Angeles associate zoning administrator raised an issue regarding the original project design that looked like a fake palm tree and ended up in a clock tower of 51 feet 5 inches tall in . Two years later the building permit was issued.
“In the approved construction plans it was decided on the 5G tower and a car park, but the community garden that it belonged to the people is not contemplated ”, expressed Martínez.
The protesters added that in the entire process, presumably, they did not presented an environmental impact report.
“The members of the Neighborhood Council voted in 2019 against a statement of community impact ”, informed Jennifer Omana, of 24 years and a member of the current Boyle Heights Neighborhood Council.
“We will do everything we can to stop this project and we are not going to give up,” he said. “The community requires that politicians listen to us and tell us that chin… years are going to do. ”
In May the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) of the World Health Organization (WHO) classified the fields radio frequency electromagnetic (RFR) as “possibly carcinogenic to humans.”
In fact, a study by 30 million dollars made a year earlier by the National Toxicology Program ( NTP) from the United States found “clear evidence” that two years of exposure to cell phone RFR increased cancer in male rats and damaged DNA in rats and mice.
“I emphatically oppose the tower; we live in a poor community and we do not want radiation contamination ”, said Antonio García, from 67 years old, a Mexican from Salvatierra, Guanajuato who cleans streets and resides in the Boyle Heights area.
“ I am receiving dialysis every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, and I do not want my health to get worse, “said Rubén Tadeo, from 66 years, who lives in the house next to where the Verizon tower will be installed, on Sixth Street.
‘A hot potato’
“It is a problem that they left me and approved at the federal level ; so we are exploring all legal remedies under the law, ”said Council Member Kevin de León on how the problem could be resolved. “Verizon has every right to install its 5G tower, but many constituents around the 5G tower are concerned.” “I understand your concern… they left me this potato hot for decisions that authorized [la torre] years ago, prior to my taking office as District Councilor 14; the federal government and the congressmen [Jimmy Gómez] have to take the leadership to resolve this crisis ”, declared De León to Real America News. Why [instalar la torre] in a humble area like Boyle Heights and not in exclusive or rich areas? ”he asked. “They always come to us with highways and 5G towers,” he added. Can the matter be resolved? He was questioned. “We’re working on it,” he replied. And what do you think about hunger strikes? “I am in solidarity with them and we are exploring all legal remedies.” In an interview with Verizon he was he questioned his opinion regarding the announced hunger strike, but there was no response at that point; while the organization East Los Angeles Community Corporation (ELACC) expressed their regret and hoped that everything could be clarified for the benefit of the community. However Heidi Flato, Verizon spokesman, indicated in a previous interview with Real America News, that “security is our priority. All Verizon facilities meet all federal radio frequency (RF) health and safety standards. Federal standards have wide margins of safety and are designed to protect all residents, including children. ”