“Faith in society made me come here today,” is what 23 year old Alejandro told SBLA when asked why he joined his first protest on Friday night at Arcadia Regional Park -- one of countless across the nation decrying raids and deportations by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), sometimes targeting U.S. citizens.
Though he remarked that a driver flipped him off, support was in high supply at the corner of Huntington Drive and Santa Anita Avenue, with near constant honking and flag waving coming from passersby.
The demonstration, which was publicized as “A Grassroots Rally by No Sleep for Ice Protestors,” was promoted through social media. That’s where Terrance from Alhambra, 22, found the flier. From there, he took public transit to join the noise making in Arcadia.
“I'm sick and tired of families being torn apart, and our representatives and congressmen are not doing anything about it,” Terrance said, “and I'm sick and tired of seeing my friends and family all scared to death, and I'm scared, but I feel like if we're not doing anything, it's exactly what they want. Being scared is what this administration wants. I think solidarity and togetherness is what powers the people. And so yes, I'm angry, and I believe that the people's voice should be heard.”
Arcadia resident John seemed a bit nervous about coming out, but said when he saw the crowd gathered, he knew he needed to be counted too.
“I'm here because I'm bothered by heavily armed masked men that do not identify themselves on our streets,” he said. And what does he want elected officials to do about this? “Stop these armed masked men from abducting residents.”
Protestors generally kept to the sidewalk, not impeding anyone’s path. Attendees reflected the SGV’s diverse cultural makeup, with families, youth, and elders raising their voices and handmade signs on one of the Valley’s main drags. SBLA observed roughly 60 demonstrators. Educator John Lloyd was among them.
“I'm outraged by what I see happening in our community, to our neighbors, our friends, people who do work here for local businesses, my students and their families and their communities are being ripped apart,” Lloyd told SBLA, “and to top it off, we're faced with a threat to our Constitution. Due process rights are being shredded, and it's important to stand up and say that this is wrong.”
As previously mentioned, the rally was organized by “No Sleep for ICE Protestors.” The following is their full public statement, provided by a man self-identified as “L.A.”
“We demand that ICE leave the San Gabriel Valley and California. We call upon those of you in ICE who know what you're doing is wrong to stand down and reject these wasteful and illegal orders. You see the absurdity of wasting our time and taxes, arresting and deporting workers instead of criminals.
“We call upon our local elected officials to demand police departments cease collaborating and aiding the unjust and illegal actions from ICE and violating California's right to protest ICE. We demand you place pressure on our congressional representatives to demand the impeachment of the Mad King Donald Trump. We recognize these assaults on our cities and neighbors are intended to distract us from congressional efforts to gut our nation's safety net, including Social Security and Medicare.
“We call upon local businesses to reject serving ICE officers while they continue to act in accessory to the President's violations of due process and human rights.
“We call upon Governor Newsom to reclaim control over the California National Guard and appoint them to protect the due process rights of Californians currently being violated by ICE.
“We call upon Major General Matthew P. Beevers, Adjutant General of the California National Guard, to return our neighbors to their post protecting our state from actual threats like wildfires, or resign for appeasing and following blatantly illegal orders to violate the rights of those you swore to defend.
“Ultimately, we demand ICE out of the SGV.”
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