Thread: Rally against illegal immigration set for California beach

Updated 12:13 pm, Sunday, August 20, 2017

LAGUNA BEACH, Calif. (AP) — A demonstration against illegal immigration is planned for California's Laguna Beach, a day after hundreds of counter-protesters marched against racism in the coastal city.

The group America First! says Sunday evening's gathering will focus attention on what it says are victims who have died because of DUI crashes and gang-related crimes from people living illegally in the U.S. Organizers say the rally also will protest "cheap labor" from those here illegally.

Counter-demonstrators are expected. Police have said they'll be out in force to prevent violence.

A large crowd gathered Saturday at the beach south of Los Angeles for what was called a peace and unity rally. Marchers held signs with slogans like "Unity over division, love over hate."

Mayor Toni Iselman said, "Laguna Beach doesn't tolerate diversity, we embrace diversity."

http://www.mrt.com/news/article/Rall...r-11945610.php

Wonderful!!

Ive never heard of this rally organizer Johnny Benitez before. It appears Johnny Benitez is his alias and his real name is Juan Cadavid. There are also claims that Juan Cadavid was previously a Bernie Sanders supporter before showing up more recently snugging up to the far right groups.

Can anyone verify that Bernie Sanders connection? Otherwise, why would a Bernie Sanders supporters make anti-semetic comments while organizing under Trump's slogan "America First" ???

W

Originally Posted by ALIPAC

Ive never heard of this rally organizer Johnny Benitez before. It appears Johnny Benitez is his alias and his real name is Juan Cadavid. There are also claims that Juan Cadavid was previously a Bernie Sanders supporter before showing up more recently snugging up to the far right groups.

Can anyone verify that Bernie Sanders connection? Otherwise, why would a Bernie Sanders supporters make anti-semetic comments while organizing under Trump's slogan "America First" ???

W

Did they make anti-semitic comments??

Updated 2 hrs 47 mins ago

LAGUNA BEACH, Calif. (KABC) -- Police are on alert in Laguna Beach over a planned right-wing rally and anti-hate rally both set for Sunday night.

A group called "America First!" will be rallying against illegal immigration and will be showing support for President Donald Trump.

Organized by Orange County resident Johnny Benitez, the event is titled "America First! Electric Vigil for the Victims of Illegals and Refugees."

"Not just violent crime" victims will be the focus of the rally, Benitez said, "but all of the repercussions of people who came here who shouldn't be here. ... I don't see it as a refugee crisis -- it's a cheap labor scheme."

The rally is set to be held between 6:30 and 10 p.m. As of Sunday morning, about 115 people were expected to attend.

Since his events have been violence-free in the past, if there are conflicts Sunday then, "We'll know which elements made it happen," Benitez said.

In the aftermath of the violence at a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, police said they are keeping a close watch on the gathering.

Officers will also be monitoring what's being called an "anti-fascist protest" to take a stand against hate.

Approximately 700 people from Orange County will gather at Main Beach at 5 p.m. Organized by the Democratic Socialists of America-Orange County, members are holding the event to "strongly oppose the intention of the America First rally and will stand up to attacks on (their) community members."

The rallies come on the heels of others in Southern California and around the nation on Saturday.

Tensions mounted in Dallas, Texas after police broke up a clash between people rallying against white supremacy and supporters of a confederate monument housed in a cemetery.

In Boston, 40,000 people took to the streets marching against hate and racism. Concerned that a small group of conservatives holding a free speech rally would be joined by white nationalists, police escorted the group away from the crowd.

http://abc7.com/politics/laguna-beac...llies/2328400/

Christopher Weber | AP, KPCC 37 minutes ago

A small group of people demonstrating against illegal immigration in Laguna Beach were outnumbered on Sunday by hundreds of counter-protesters who gathered on the same stretch of sand to denounce racism in the coastal California city.


Laguna Beach Police @LagunaBeachPD
Rally participants continue to disperse from Main Beach and it continues to be peaceful. #LagunaBeach
8:40 PM - Aug 20, 2017


The group America First! said it wanted to focus attention on what it says are victims of DUI crashes and gang-related crimes committed by people living illegally in the U.S.

Organizer Johnny Benitez said the group also wanted to protest "cheap labor" from those here illegally.


An overhead shot from NBC4's helicopter of an anti-immigration rally held on Sunday, August 20, 2017 in Laguna Beach. SCREENGRAB VIA NBC4


"I think immigration should happen when it's beneficial to the host country," Benitez said. "That's not happening in the U.S. right now."

They were dwarfed by a larger group of counter-demonstrators, some of whom shouted "No hate," and carried signs that said "Immigrants are welcome here."

Police officers, some on horseback, separated the groups as business carried on in the picturesque city of about 23,000 people. A short distance away, beachgoers gathered for a drum circle and a plane flew overhead pulling a banner that said "Hate is beneath us."

Sgt. Jim Cota with the Laguna Beach Police Department told KPCC on Saturday he expected approximately 700 people to show up for the demonstration.

“The main thing is just to ensure safety to everyone,” Cota said. “Don't expect anything that happened back east to happen here.”

Laguna Beach Police @LagunaBeachPD
Rally continues with no significant incidents. Police personnel are monitoring the crowd. #lagunabeach
6:44 PM - Aug 20, 2017


Bryce Alderton‏
@AldertonBryce
#Lagunabeach keep watch on Main Beach boardwalk. #OCSheriff also here.

6:46 PM - 20 Aug 2017


Travel True @J_H_5
So far protests peaceful in Laguna Beach, hope it stays that way.
6:31 PM - Aug 20, 2017


Police said there were no significant incidents as officers continued to monitor the crowd Sunday evening.

Anthony Bruneio, 37, said he came to engage with the America First! protesters and said he found common ground with Denise Ruiz, 39, who said she came to remember "those who are lost."

"Both sides agree that the extremists are defining the groups," Bruneio said.

"I think we all believe in a lot of the same things," Ruiz said. "Most of the media over-exaggerate."

The gathering came a day after a large crowd converged in Laguna Beach for what was called a peace and unity rally. Marchers held signs with slogans like "Unity over division, love over hate" and "Make America human again."

Organizers said Saturday's demonstration was a response to the planned America First! rally and to the deadly events at a white nationalist gathering last weekend in Charlottesville, Virginia.

http://www.scpr.org/news/2017/08/20/...a-first-rally/

Sounds like everything went well and some good messages for our cause got out and through. ABC7 covered, nice.

America First outnumbered in Laguna Beach

Aug 21, 2017

"Whose beach! Our beach!" shout anti-racism protesters who outnumbered an America First rally against illegal immigration.

i am with you

It would be nice to know who this 'organizer' really is.

As in the Charlottesville debacle, I fear there may be many protests, meetings, etc., claiming to be conservative, in an attempt to instigate more rioting.

I fear --