Thread: CA-12 arrested in Costa Mesa immigration protest

12 arrested in Costa Mesa immigration protest

About 200 demonstrators came to the city to protest the city's support of anti-illegal immigration laws and its status as a 'rule of law' city.

BY CINDY CARCAMO and IAN HAMILTON
THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER.
COSTA MESA, CA

All 12 protesters who were sitting together at a table in the intersection of Anton Boulevard and Bristol Street at South Coast Plaza were arrested and taken to the Costa Mesa jail Monday afternoon.

The 12 were charged with public nuisance and obstructing a police officer.

The first to be taken away was a man identified as Carlos Roberto Coronel. He identified himself as a U.S. citizen and a Marine who served twice in Iraq.

Another protester was identified by organizers as Bianette Guadalupe Linares - a Cal State Fulerton student - wearing a purple graduation gown as she was led away.

Some demonstrators, still gathered at the intersection, cheered when each person was arrested.

The event was highly choreographed by demonstrators from the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles .

The names of some of those arrested were prepared before the protest for the media.

Buses rolled up around 6 p.m. for protesters to get back home.

Traffic was directed away from the intersection by Costa Mesa police, and not all were happy about the obstructed intersection.

Diane Beeson from Mission Viejo said, "They have a right to protest, but no right to protest in traffic." She was stuck in traffic for 20 minutes and was also frustrated at police for not clearing traffic sooner.

"I'm upset I'm stuck in traffic," said Frances Chase from Anaheim. "You cannot be an American family until you agree to assimilate."

But Nicholas Espiritu, a legal observer working with the National Lawyers Guild, said, "The protesters are exercising important first amendment rights, which are a historic American tradition of civil disobedience...these issues affect them very personally."

This is the latest in a string of protests, denunciations and backlash directed at the city, which has taken a strong stance against illegal immigration.

The city might have been playing politics with its deal to buy the Orange County Fairgrounds from the state, after some Latino lawmakers in Sacramento have threatened to block the sale after city officials passed the resolution.

At the behest of long-time illegal immigration opponent Mayor Allan Mansoor, the City Council's resolution makes it clear that people who are in the country illegally are not welcome in Costa Mesa.

"Our focus is how a broken immigration system breaks apart families," said Rabbi Jonathan Klein, executive director for the Los Angeles chapter of Clergy and Leity United for Economic Justice.

Klein had planned to be arrested along with other clergy from a Presbyterian Church and African-American Methodist church.

"The goal is to get people to recognize how a broken system leads to exploitation of workers. We have a general religious theme, a moral frame that is we love the stranger," Klein said.

Protesters carried banners and posters, such as those reading "Legalization for All", "and "No to Immigrant Scapegoating."

This protest is the latest attempt by local residents to showcase their feelings about the controversial law Arizona law.

A group of 40 locals returned early Monday from a Sunday rally in Phoenix, where they joined some others critical of the law.

The weekend before, the Register followed a group of 15 local anti-illegal immigration activists who left Garden Grove for a rally in Phoenix.

The "Phoenix Rising" event on Saturday drew hundreds to the state capitol in support of the law.

The law has also sparked an anti-Arizona protest in Santa Ana and a flurry of city officials to request that their city either denounce or support the law.

Santa Ana was the first city in the county to take on the law and as of yet the only city to denounce it.

On the other side, cities such as Yorba Linda and Orange have voted in resolutions to support the law.

A councilwoman in Villa Park unsuccessfully tried to get her city to take on the resolution, while a Cypress councilman plans to introduce a resolution in support of the law at the city's Monday council meeting.

Rancho Santa Margarita council members also backed the law this week and will vote later this month on a resolution to support it.

Also,, the Hispanic Bar Association of Orange County issued a declaration denouncing the law.

SB1070 makes it a crime to lack immigration papers in Arizona and requires police to ask for documentation of legal status if there is "reasonable suspicion" that the person they stopped is in the country illegally.

The law only takes place when someone is stopped on suspicion of violating another law. The law was also later amended to discourage racial profiling.

Regardless, critics have said the law is still too vague, because it's left up to the interpretation of the officer as to what "reasonable suspicion" may be when determining whether the person is in the country illegally.

Anti-illegal immigration activists are calling for people to support Arizona's crackdown, stating that it is the only way the state can defend itself after becoming the nation's busiest corridor for illegal immigration and smuggling.

The law is expected to go into effect in July but may be delayed by pending court challenges.

Ryan Mac contributed to this story.

Contact the writer: 714-796-7924 or ccarcamo@ocregister.com

http://www.ocregister.com/news/law-2533 ... ation.html

I have immigration papers.

It is called a BIRTH CERTIFICATE from the hall of records in the county I was born in.

i have my birth certificate, too

The only people that don't agree with this law are either illegal aliens, anchor babies w/ illegal parents, family/friends of illegals, and a few others that are so far on the left that they are loopy.

There is no good argument against this bill. That is why the race card is being used so frugally.

Originally Posted by mepdblue

The only people that don't agree with this law are either illegal aliens, anchor babies w/ illegal parents, family/friends of illegals, and a few others that are so far on the left that they are loopy.

There is no good argument against this bill. That is why the race card is being used so frugally.

Your exactly right mepdblue! Illegal invaders and their supporters have no legitimate argument to support their position and they know it! Instead, they must resort to civil disobedience and the race card to support their lawlessness! It's an absolute disgrace!

"Our focus is how a broken immigration system breaks apart families," said Rabbi Jonathan Klein, executive director for the Los Angeles chapter of Clergy and Leity United for Economic Justice.

Hogwash! Enforcing immigration law does not break families apart, crossing our border and violating our sovereignty does!

This is what happens when you allow millions of illegal invaders to violate our borders and law, reward them with free everything, and pander to them with promises of another amnesty. When you finally do enforce the law, they get violent and angry because they have been allowed to break the law for decades with no repercussions!

They have come to expect the law does not pertain to them and are getting nasty when Americans rise up and say no mas!

the race card is getting real old real fast ... by the time july roles around everyone is just going to be completely sick of having to listen to the illegals cry racism racism !!!

An event like this creates baclash and can be put to advantage if there is a sign telling people about organizations they can join to support the enforcement effort.

Originally Posted by marquis

the race card is getting real old real fast ... by the time july roles around everyone is just going to be completely sick of having to listen to the illegals cry racism racism !!!

ive been tired of it for a few years already.
its so old that its not even funnyanymore

Published: June 15, 2010
Updated: 10:22 a.m.

12 arrested in mall immigration protest from L.A. County

BY CINDY CARCAMO and IAN HAMILTON
THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

COSTA MESA – The 12 immigration rights protesters arrested after they snarled traffic by blocking a major thoroughfare for about an hour Monday near South Coast Plaza were all from Los Angeles County, Costa Mesa police said Tuesday.

They joined about 200 demonstrators who descended on the shopping landmark about 3 p.m. to protest the Costa Mesa City Council's recent resolution to declare the city a "Rule of Law City" that does not welcome those who are in the country illegally. The protesters also denounced Arizona's new immigration enforcement law.

Bristol St. was closed off to all traffic from the 405 freeway to Sunflower Ave. when demonstrators sat down at a table and blocked the intersection of the busy boulevard in front of South Coast Plaza Monday. Police warned them that they would be arrested and were.

The demonstration was a highly-orchestrated event by leaders of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles who had the names of those who'd planned to be arrested before it actually happened. Buses pulled into the area about 6 p.m. to take protesters home.

Those arrested locked arms in tubes and strapped their feet together with duct tape as they sat at a table in the middle of traffic near the intersection of Anton Boulevard and Bristol Street.

Fellow protesters cheered and commuters honked in frustration as police arrested and led each person away from the table. Police eventually directed traffic away from the intersection.

The first to be taken away was a man identified as Carlos Roberto Coronel. He identified himself as a U.S. citizen and a Marine who served twice in Iraq.
"We're standing up for our families," Coronel said while at the table. "We're standing up for our country. We're fighting for our future, and we want immigration reform."

Police said the following were arrested:
•Ana Cid, 18, of Los Angeles
•Angelica Salas, 39, of Pasadena
•Eun Sook Lee, 42, of Los Angeles
•Bianette Guadalupe Linares, 19, of Los Angeles
•Jonathan Daniel Klein, 41, of Los Angeles
•Carlos Roberto Coronel, 27, of Sun Valley
•Balmore Dominguez, 21, of Los Angeles
•Felipe Escobar, 22, of North Hollywood
•Lewis Logan, 46, of Los Angeles
•Jonathan Carmona, 21, Asuza
•Neil Rivas, 26, Santa Clarita
•Frank Alton, 58, Los Angeles

The 12 were arrested on suspicion of a variety of misdemeanors, including unlawful assembly, public nuisance and not obeying officers, Costa Mesa Sgt. Matt Grimmond said.

Police said they will recommend that charges be filed with the Orange County District Attorney's office. Officers cited and released the group by 8 p.m. Monday and the 12 got into a bus that was waiting to take them home, Grimmond said.

Before hopping on the bus, however, the group staged an encore of their earlier protest.

"They started protesting, marching outside our police station," Grimmond said.

At the first protest, some motorists stuck in traffic confronted the protesters while others complained from their vehicles.

"They have a right to protest, but no right to protest in traffic," said Diane Beeson of Mission Viejo, who was stuck in traffic for 20 minutes and frustrated at police for not clearing traffic sooner.

It was the latest in a string of protests, shows of support, and backlash directed at the city, which has taken a strong stance against illegal immigration.

Some Latino lawmakers in Sacramento threatened to block the sale of the Orange County Fairgrounds to the city from the state after city officials passed the resolution. Click here to read the story.

The City Council's resolution, recommended by long-time illegal immigration opponent Mayor Allan Mansoor, makes it clear that those in the country illegally are not welcome in Costa Mesa. Click here to read the story.

Klein, a Rabbi, said he had planned to be arrested Monday along with other clergy from a Presbyterian Church and African-American Methodist church.

"Our focus is how a broken immigration system breaks apart families," said Klein, executive director for the Los Angeles chapter of Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice. "The goal is to get people to recognize how a broken system leads to exploitation of workers. We have a general religious theme, a moral frame that is we love the stranger."

Protesters carried banners and posters, such as those reading "Legalization for All", "and "No to Immigrant Scapegoating."

It was also the most recent protest addressing the controversial Arizona law that makes it a crime to lack immigration papers and requires police to ask for documentation of legal status if there is "reasonable suspicion" that the person they stopped is in the country illegally.

A group of 40 locals returned early Monday from a Sunday rally in Phoenix, where they joined others critical of the law. Click here to read the story.
The weekend before, the Register followed a group of 15 local anti-illegal immigration activists who left Garden Grove for a rally in Phoenix.

The "Phoenix Rising" event on Saturday drew hundreds to the state capitol in support of the law. Click here to read the story.

The law has also sparked an anti-Arizona protest in Santa Ana and a flurry of city officials to request that their city either denounce or support the law.

To read a comprehensive story on Orange County cities' reactions to this issue, click here.

Monday night, a council member in Cypress unsuccessfully tried to get his city to take on a similar resolution.
Click here to read the story.

Contact the writer: 714-796-7924 or ccarcamo@ocregister.com

http://www.ocregister.com/news/city-253 ... olice.html

Before hopping on the bus, however, the group staged an encore of their earlier protest.

"They started protesting, marching outside our police station," Grimmond said.

They should have been re-arrested and charged with even more violations.