Thread: SOUTH: Day-labor site protested

http://www.ocregister.com/ocr/2005/07/3 ... 617264.php

SOUTH: Day-labor site protested
About 150 people nearly came to blows in Laguna Beach during dispute over illegal immigration.

By SUSAN GILL VARDON and ELIZABETH BROTHERTON
The Orange County Register

LAGUNA BEACH – A protest near a day-labor site stopped just short of violence Saturday, marking another turn in a long-running dispute that touches issues of immigration and race.

About 150 people, some shouting messages decrying illegal immigration and others speaking out in favor of immigrants, nearly came to blows. Police stepped in on several occasions to keep protesters apart. One man was arrested for carrying a concealed dagger, said Laguna Beach Police Sgt. Jason Kravetz.

The protest was the second this month. On July 16, Eileen Garcia and four women she met over the Internet protested the city's decision to use part of its rent from the Sawdust Art Festival to help the Laguna Day Workers Center, a gathering place for workers and people who hire them. Garcia and her partners were joined in front of the festival site by an anti-illegal immigration group, Save Our State, which argued that people who hire workers at the site are breaking federal law. That group was joined by others Saturday.

Many of the protesters said they are motivated by immigration law, not race.

"I'm here because of a security issue," said Angie Ibbotson of Huntington Beach." Ibbotson, the daughter of Filipino immigrants, waved a sign that read "Mr. Bush, do your job."

"We just want to know who (the workers) are, where they are coming from," she said.

But people supporting the workers said Save Our State and other anti-illegal immigration groups are racially motivated. They also defended the need for the center.

"They are working people, and we support and defend their want to make a living," said Alvaro Maldonado, who came to the protest Saturday with 15 other members of the International Socialist Organization.

Emotions were pushed higher near the end of the three-hour protest when two men walked through the crowd carrying swastika flags, a move many Save Our State activists said they opposed.

"I totally disagree with it," said John Gutierrez, an 18-year-old Goldenwest College student. "I told them to put it away."

The conflict was the latest example of how day-labor sites – where workers hire out to do construction, painting or landscaping – are being questioned by foes of illegal immigration. The future of an unrelated site run by the city of Costa Mesa is in question, in part because of protests.

Laguna Beach resident Garcia, who protested in mid-July, didn't turn out Saturday. She said she has disassociated herself from Save Our State.

"I just don't agree with the way they're going to be standing in front of the actual day-labor site," said the 47-year-old homemaker. "We did not confront anybody. We passed out fliers educating people about how the City Council was spending their money."

On June 21, the council awarded $175,000 to 30 nonprofit groups. The money comes from festival rent, which goes into the city's community assistance fund, said Mayor Elizabeth Pearson-Schneider.

Topping the list was the South Orange County Cross Cultural Council. The group, which has operated the hiring center since 1999, got $21,000. Next was the Laguna Beach Relief and Resource Center, which assists victims of the Bluebird Canyon landslide. It got $20,000.

Garcia, who lives three blocks from the slide site, complained to the City Council that the $21,000 would be better spent on slide victims.
CONTACT US: (949) 454-7356 or svardon@ocregister.com

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At the end of the rally, the White Nationalist unfurled a Nazi Flag, did the Nazi salute and shouted, "Heil." This provoked the counter protesters and they charged accross the street. One White Nationalist may have been arrested.

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While Indymedia is mostly false, pro illegal propoganda, this does show accurate pictures of White Nationalists that have shown up at Save our State Events. Lupe Moreno was distressed by their attendence and referred to them as the "Nazi Children."

http://sandiego.indymedia.org/en/2005/07/110247.shtml

International Socialist Organization.

so now they have more commies coming out of the wood work to support illegal immigrations.

and nazis are showing up.

California you are heading for a 1979 Greensboro shoot out .

It appears both sides have their extremists. However knowing the media it will only emphasis that point against our side. I thought SOS didn't want to be associated with racists groups? Any credibility they had will certainly go out the window if they knowingly have Nazis among their group. I'm against illegal immigration and do not support fascism either

Originally Posted by Brian503a

It appears both sides have their extremists. However knowing the media it will only emphasis that point against our side. I thought SOS didn't want to be associated with racists groups? Any credibility they had will certainly go out the window if they knowingly have Nazis among their group. I'm against illegal immigration and do not support fascism either

Amen, it won't wash. You can not mix with racist groups and win points for our cause.

Racist and fascist groups trying to attach themselves to our issue is actually the biggest threat the movement faces short of those that are facilitating the illegal immigration.

As our official policy states. If racism is your main motivation, you need to find a different organization or website.

W

Originally Posted by ALIPAC

Racist and fascist groups trying to attach themselves to our issue is actually the biggest threat the movement faces short of those that are facilitating the illegal immigration.

As our official policy states. If racism is your main motivation, you need to find a different organization or website.

W

The SOS organization is still young. If it's going to grow they have to purge themselves of these people quickly. There are some distasteful threads and posts on their forum that really turn me off. There are some good people though so I'm not ruling them out just yet. Only time will tell.

Originally Posted by TheWatchdog

Originally Posted by ALIPAC

Racist and fascist groups trying to attach themselves to our issue is actually the biggest threat the movement faces short of those that are facilitating the illegal immigration.

As our official policy states. If racism is your main motivation, you need to find a different organization or website.

W

The SOS organization is still young. If it's going to grow they have to purge themselves of these people quickly. There are some distasteful threads and posts on their forum that really turn me off. There are some good people though so I'm not ruling them out just yet. Only time will tell.

Actually that was the main reason I picked this web site over SOS because it didn't seem as hostile, and is a more appealing forum to visit. I'm not saying ALIPAC is hostile but they do a much better job of keeping the forums here under control when some of the discussions get a little heated. SOS discussions appear to be almost anything goes.

Brian:

We dont have any affiliations or associations with any supremacist group and have openly renounced such. However, when it comes to the real world of street level activism, we have no power or authority to keep any individual or group away from us.

If that were the case, I would have been able to keep the socialist/anarchist goon who spat in my face and mouth this weekend away from me.

If you would like to read my account of our most recent event, it will help you better understand the dynamics of a protest at a hostile target or area where a rabid opposition is present.

You can find it here:

http://www.saveourstate.org/forums/inde ... topic=3901

It is a long read though.

Originally Posted by SaveOurState

Brian:

We dont have any affiliations or associations with any supremacist group and have openly renounced such. However, when it comes to the real world of street level activism, we have no power or authority to keep any individual or group away from us.

If that were the case, I would have been able to keep the socialist/anarchist goon who spat in my face and mouth this weekend away from me.

If you would like to read my account of our most recent event, it will help you better understand the dynamics of a protest at a hostile target or area where a rabid opposition is present.

You can find it here:

http://www.saveourstate.org/forums/inde ... topic=3901

It is a long read though.

Thank you for the explanation of the situation. I appreciate you taking the time to post it here.

So I assume you didn't have any idea the Nazi group infiltrated the protest? I can understand some people showing up to an event you know little or nothing about at the time since things get wild and crazy. Unfortunately people like that don't help us win support from the mainstream of America when they see it, and gives our opponents valuable propaganda to discredit us. I despise groups like them as much as the protesters on the other side.

However, I always notice the pro illegal immigrant protesters have no problems embracing radical organizations like anarchists, socialists, and communists. I've noticed since the illegal immigration war has heated up it is drawing in more of these fringe groups that thrive on violent confrontations. Makes me think it is only a matter of time before one of the protests turns into an all out riot, because that's want they want to move their warped agendas forward. We can thank our government for permitting it to happen.

I'm sure we'll have some violent clashes here in Los Angeles. It's just a matter of time. It may not be the anti-illegal vs. the pro-illegals there's a good chance it will be the pro-illegals vs. the police. These communist, anarchist, and socialist groups are extremely confrontational and they are looking to incite violence. They hate the police as much as they hate anyone. Then you throw in some gangmembers who are just in it for the ride and you have big trouble.