Thread: We had an anti illegal protest in my hometown today

I didn't even know this was going to happen and heard about it when it was over. I heard there was a lot of police and some counter demonstrators with their Mexican flags. As far as I know it didn't get violent like a few other protests in our state. Wish I could have gotten some pictures but here's an article about it.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/nort ... otest.html

Activists protest acceptance of Mexican-issued IDs


SIGNONSANDIEGO NEWS SERVICES

10:32 a.m. June 4, 2005

FALLBROOK – Anti-illegal immigration activists demonstrated Saturday at several Fallbrook businesses that reportedly accept a Mexican-issued card as identification, a sheriff's lieutenant said.
As many as 200 people from the Citizens for Secure Borders were expected to picket, targeting three institutions in the Mercantile Shopping Center in the 500 block of South Main Street, sheriff's Lt. Lee Yoder said.

The group is specifically targeting the Community National Bank, Citibank and Western Union because they reportedly accept the Mexican-issued "Matricula Consular" identification cards.

These cards are used as legal identification by undocumented immigrants doing business with the institutions, Yoder said

There were no reports of trouble, but "dozens" of deputies were keeping an eye on the demonstration, said Yoder.

The activists reportedly are associated with the Minuteman Project, a controversial effort to fight illegal migration by having civilians stop and detain suspected migrants.

I was there at the protest. It was relatively peaceful. One guy brought us about 3 dozen donuts! Police from Vista, Santee, Poway, and SD Sheriff stationed in the parking lot, and constantly circling the block. Their presence was numerous, and very obvious. We felt really safe there. There were about 25 of us there. No real counter protesters, just people passing by. A few kept going by flying their large Mexican flags out of their cars, until the police pulled them over. Then they only just flew small flags, or just yelled at us.

I counted about 5 different people who expressed interest in joining any future protests in Fallbrook. One of them told us about 3 day labor centers which we'll probably go back and protest in the future.

From what little I saw of Fallbrook, it looks like a nice town. Hate to see it go the way of Baldwin Park, that's for sure.

GO CALIFORNIA!!!

Keep it up!!

GREAT NEWS!!

Americans are Waking UP and Gaining Strength from Each Other!!

Sounds like the police were more prepared for troublemakers at this event. At least the town hasn't been completely taken over by Mexico, so you're likely to have a less hostile crowd around compared to Baldwin Park. Sorry I missed all the activity, and hoped it rattled a few cages in the area.

Thank you, Brian and Cinnamon!

Great work, keep up the pressure.
SaveOurState is going back to Baldwin Park on June 25, to give the hornet's nest another kick ...

One small inaccuracy: Minutemen DO NOT DETAIN anybody - they notify the Border Patrol, when they see someone attempting to cross the border anywhere, other than a legal port of entry.

California Minutemen project gearing up!

http://www.unitedstatesborderpatrolaux.com/index.htm

Thanks for the new2s Brian.

Cinnamon, Welcome to ALIPAC!
We are glad to have you here.

Welcome Cinnamon! Thanks for putting up with the abuse for the cause. Onward brave Americans!!!

Found another article on the protest. Thanks lobo for pointing out the minutemen inaccuracy from the first story. I was almost going to say something but wanted to see if anyone else noticed it. The news media always seems to either lie or distort everything about the minutemen.

A special thanks to Cinnamon for taking the time to show up and protest in our town. Hopefully you received more support than criticism from the residents. I was curious if you ran across the angry woman quoted in the latest article below. She didn't sound very intelligent from what she said to the reporter. If her parents are citizens I don't know why they would want to use a Mexican ID card. I wonder if she was being truthful to the reporter.

http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2005/06 ... 6_4_05.txt

Anti-illegal immigration protest held in Fallbrook

By: TERI FIGUEROA - Staff Writer

FALLBROOK ---- Most of the people who visually responded to an anti-illegal immigration protest in Fallbrook on Saturday morning displayed one of two digits: a thumb pointed up or a middle finger.

It was a fact that didn't escape protester Dottie Dalton, who joined the 45 or so people who lined a block of Main Street. The group rallied against three Fallbrook businesses they say accept a Mexican identification card as valid identification for business transactions.

Protesters said they were angered by banks that accept the Mexican government-issued cards as identification for opening bank accounts or other financial transactions. The event was staged on the sidewalk in the 800 block of South Main Street, near three financial institutions that the protesters said accept the cards.

Citibank officials said this week they do accept the cards, as is permissible by federal law. The president of Community National Bank declined comment this past week, and officials for Western Union could not be reached for comment.

Saturday's event in Fallbrook was generally low-key, marked mostly by passers-by giving curious glances to the signs. Some signs offered up opinions like "Only illegals have matricula consular cards." One sign read "Go home." Other signs tied illegal immigration with terrorism.

During the protest, Fallbrook ---- which at any given time has about five patrol cars on the streets ---- played host to 50 sheriff's deputies, according to sheriff's Capt. Glenn Revell.

The large presence at the rally was a precaution, he said, in light of disturbances at other similar protests in Southern California in recent weeks.

Revell noted that issues associated with the matricula consular cards "run high with emotion," and a large counter protest "might have been a catalyst for a disturbance."

"We would rather be faulted for having too many resources (at the event) than not enough," Revell said.

Police had little to do at the event, save for the arrest of one man who yelled at the protesters and squealed his wheels as he drove off. A sergeant said the arrest was for disturbing the peace.

Many of the same anti-illegal immigration protesters were demonstrating in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Baldwin Park a few weeks ago when a conflict with counter-protesters got out of hand.

By the end of it, a 66-year-old Murrieta woman ended up laid out on the sidewalk, hit in the forehead by a water bottle she said was hurled by a counter-protester.

No organized counter protest occurred at the Fallbrook event, but the handmade signs did attract those with an opposing view. More than a few people made a point to poke large Mexican flags out of their car windows, slowing down and yelling at the protesters.

Some of the protesters yelled back.

Fallbrook resident Margarita Covarrubias, 30, stopped to confront the protest group.

"It's racism," she said after walking away from a heated exchange with one protester. "We are the ones who do the (agricultural) picking and clean toilets. They want fresh fruits and veggies, but they don't want to come pick them."

She also said that her parents, both from Mexico, are American citizens who possess and use matricula consular cards.

The protest group in Fallbrook was made up more of out-of-towners than residents of Fallbrook and other North County cities. During the event, five or so locals stopped by to sign up and get on the e-mail list to stay apprised of upcoming rallies.

A coalition of grass-roots groups promotes weekly rallies in different locations in Southern California to protest illegal immigration and related issues. One of those responsible for getting the word out is Upland resident Robin Hvidston, who said the host of the protest is always a resident of the area where the event is being staged.

"We go where we are needed, if they call for a protest," she said as she stood on the sidewalk in Fallbrook.

Murrieta resident John Allen said he's been actively protesting illegal immigration since last summer.

"We've tried to get people off their butts and out onto the streets," Allen said of the traveling protests. "The only thing that works to intimidate politicians is seeing angry people on the streets. Writing them letters doesn't do anything."

Originally Posted by Brian503a

Thanks lobo for pointing out the minutemen inaccuracy from the first story.

Welcome, Brian!

See you in Campo on July 18!
Unless you want to join us in Baldwin Park ...

Occutegirl of SOS posted a series of images on the SOS homepage.

You can find them here:

http://www.saveourstate.org/forums/i...showtopic=2375

Looks like Jim Gilhcrist and Jim Chase of the Minutemen were there, and even the Marines showed up!