This last Monday, on Bastille Day no less, major figures from all around Los Angeles gathered on the steps of City Hall to protest the government and their perceived incompetency. Led by former Daily News editor Ron Kaye, this harried group of protesters made their arguments for Los Angeles becoming once again a “great” city.

Using primarily his own private blog and a little help from local talk radio, Kaye brought out around 200 people, mostly white, middle-aged, and viciously angry, on a sunny Monday around noon. Higher garbage taxes, a Home Depot development right next to a school, a shattered education system, Jamiel’s Law, and gang warfare were just a few of the reasons this crowd felt perturbed.

Writer/Performer/NPR Radio Personality Sandra Tsing Loh arrived dressed as the Statue of Liberty with little red and yellow flames attached to the crown “to indicate how angry” she is. A confirmed “Mother on Fire,” Loh’s main criticism for the day was the education system, claiming she was LA Unified’s worst nightmare: a parent who cared.

As a part of Loh’s “performance,” she brought Ron Kaye back to the stage to catalog a book for LAUSD library. The city routinely rejects private donations of books to its libraries because, as they claim, cataloging a book costs approximately $18. Kaye slipped the sticker on the spine of a children’s book, demonstrating to all that maybe this price is a little steep. No mention of whether KBR is doing the cataloging.

As the sun rose over the square, the crowd retreated for the shade, leaving an awkward (and very hot) space between the speakers and the people. This space was mostly occupied by photographers diligently capturing every nuance of the scene, with the most dramatic moment being the unveiling of the Biking Bill of Rights. The giant scroll ambled down City Hall’s steps, covered in various scribbles. Bikers were supposed to turn out in force. Something must have happened.

The most surprising guest speaker was City Controller Laura Chick, who has been a perennial headache to City Hall for repeatedly auditing major departments and revealing a slew of problems, both in budget and personnel. Said the tiny public servant, “If you’re not indignant, you’re not paying attention.”