LA Critical Mass partnered with SAFE to honor 290 lives and call for safer streets.
Yesterday’s Dying in Los Angeles 2026 protest delivered a clear message: traffic violence in Los Angeles is not an accident, not inevitable, and not something this city can continue to ignore.
Organized and led by Streets Are For Everyone (SAFE), this year’s action was shaped by the vision and determination of Damian Kevitt, whose leadership continues to anchor the city’s fight for safer streets.
Families, cyclists, advocates, and community members gathered to honor lives lost and demand accountability from city leaders. Representing the city’s largest monthly community ride, LA Critical Mass President Lisa and Vice President Jojo stood alongside the crowd, reaffirming the ride’s long‑standing commitment to visibility, solidarity, and street‑safety advocacy.
Also present was 306 Cycling, known not only for faithfully riding LA Critical Mass but for volunteering at the ride month after month. Their turnout at the protest underscored the culture of service, reliability, and mutual care that defines Los Angeles’ cycling community.
And in a moment of deep appreciation, LA Critical Mass extends heartfelt thanks to every rider and supporter who showed up to stand with SAFE. Your presence — your bodies, your voices, your solidarity — made the message louder, clearer, and impossible for the city to ignore.
A Moment the City Could Not Ignore: 290 Seconds of Silence
One of the most powerful moments of the day came when Damian Kevitt led the 290‑second die‑in on the steps of Los Angeles City Hall. For 290 seconds — one second for every life lost to traffic violence in 2025 — dozens of protesters laid their bodies down in complete silence.
The stillness was overwhelming.
The symbolism was undeniable.
The message was unmistakable: every one of those 290 lives mattered.
This act of collective mourning transformed raw statistics into human reality, forcing the city to confront the scale of its crisis.
Media and Civic Leaders Took Notice
Throughout the morning, the protest’s impact was unmistakable. Local news agencies arrived to document the action, and Los Angeles Times reporter Deborah Vankin conducted separate interviews with both Lisa and Jojo. Her coverage — which featured Lisa directly in the LA Times article — amplified the urgency behind the movement and brought the voices of advocates to a citywide audience.
Elected officials and civic leaders also stood with the community. Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martinez attended the event, listening directly to constituents and reaffirming his commitment to safer, more equitable mobility infrastructure. Aida Ashouri, widely regarded as a leading contender for Los Angeles City Attorney, was also present, signaling a growing recognition that traffic violence is not merely a transportation issue — it is a public safety crisis.
Leadership That Moves a City
At the center of it all was Damian Kevitt, the mastermind behind the protest. His strategic coordination, moral clarity, and relentless advocacy transformed the action into a moment the city could not ignore. His leadership continues to push Los Angeles toward a future where preventable deaths are treated as unacceptable, not inevitable.
SAFE’s peaceful protest created a moment of collective clarity: the city cannot continue to treat preventable deaths as background noise. Every life lost represents a family shattered, a community wounded, and a policy failure demanding correction.
As the protesters rose and the gathering came to a close, one truth remained: Los Angeles is at a crossroads. Yesterday’s action showed what becomes possible when community members, advocates, and public officials stand together — and what can change when the city finally chooses to prioritize human life over convenience and car‑centric inertia.
Dying in Los Angeles 2026 was not just a protest. It was a promise — a commitment to keep fighting until every Angeleno can move through their city safely.
Recent Media Mentions
LA Times: Dozens ‘die’ at L.A. City Hall to protest 290 traffic-related deaths in the city in 2025
Union Bulletin: Traffic fatalities have surged 26% since Vision Zero launched in 2015 with the goal of eliminating deaths on L.A. streets by 2025.
Arcamax: Road safety advocates and others, led by the group Streets Are for Everyone, or SAFE, gathered on the steps of Los Angeles City Hall for a “die-in” demonstration.
CBS News: “Die-in” rally held outside Los Angeles City Hall
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