Day 3: More protests as city folk get angry
I watched the crowd from the fourth floor of a nearby building as protesters walked from Chester Avenue, coming from the north. After about a half an hour of hearing yelling from down on the street, I decided to take a break from work and wander down into the crowd. This was Day 3 of the student protest of HR4437. I was soon to witness anger from passing motorists and bystanders, and even from protesters. Both sides showed restraint, but possibly only because there was a large police contingent, stronger than before, and who contained the protesters to some extent, keeping them off the streets at least, and blocking the street with road blocks just in case some students decided to defy the police force. When I finally made my way down, the crowd was beginning to slowly head east on Truxton Avenue.
Near Chester Avenue and Truxton stood a few counter-protesters. Students from the main body of protesters heckled one man who stood and waved an American flag and a sign. Another man with an American flag I saw being interviewed by KUZZ.
I followed along and asked several students where they were from. “South High,” said at least six kids. One student said he was from West High. He was wrapped in an American flag.
“Aren’t the schools on lockdown today?” I asked.
“Yeah.”
“What’s going to happen to you when you go back?”
“Expulsion.”
“How did you get away from school? Did anyone try to stop you?”
“A lot of us didn’t go to school today. Some kids hopped fences.”
I wandered with the crowd to see one man passing out yellow signs about a rally. A little further on I saw a lady wearing sunglasses, a long-sleeved blue shirt and a cell phone attached to her hip like a six-shooter. She started yelling at the students.
Angry heckler...
“Get out of here! Go back to fucking school! You don’t love your country if you carry the Mexican flag!”
There were arguments by a group of counter protesters as well who turned and quickly grew angry.
Angry protesters...
The protesters showed restraint, with one girl saying, “We need to move, I don’t want to get arrested.” Along with the Chicano pride there seemed a mix of anger, steadfastness, determination, and the energy of youth. Hecklers on either side seemed to be pushing emotional buttons that triggered American pride and an enthusiasm to protest.
Soon, a man in a passing truck yelled, “Get the fuck back in school, dumb asses!”
I got angry that people would just yell like that. I’m not dumb. I know a lot of yelling was racially motivated on both sides. Chicano Pride often overwhelmed the multi-ethnic immigration issues in the crowd, whereas passing motorists were often non-Chicano who yelled explicatives. I saw the same thing on day two by a city worker. Sure, there are many Latinos against the protest, but what I witnessed was often a judgemental attitude, of people angry kids weren’t in school.
I don’t blame the crowds for being mostly Latino. We live in the Central Valley, an area rich in Latino heritage. California is a strong Latino state, so it makes sense that the forerunners in the valley protests are of the same heritage. Perhaps a better organized event would have reached more strongly out to other ethnic groups to co-march. Either way, if in the crowd long enough, and if one took the time to talk to the students, people would find many were walking for a multi-ethnic cause, even though there was a healthy dose of anger that seemed to escalate from the appearance of more hecklers and a few counter protesters.
Three of my favorite photos of the protest so far:
Day 1: My favorite protest shirt reads, "Suck my balls, Bush." I just thought it was funny. I actually don't hate Bush. Well, not that I love him either...
Day 2: Look at these prideful faces.
Day 3: This is quite a flag moment.
Kern Radio photos.
Dusty gives a nice link to one of my Jagels photos.
Near Chester Avenue and Truxton stood a few counter-protesters. Students from the main body of protesters heckled one man who stood and waved an American flag and a sign. Another man with an American flag I saw being interviewed by KUZZ.
I followed along and asked several students where they were from. “South High,” said at least six kids. One student said he was from West High. He was wrapped in an American flag.
“Aren’t the schools on lockdown today?” I asked.
“Yeah.”
“What’s going to happen to you when you go back?”
“Expulsion.”
“How did you get away from school? Did anyone try to stop you?”
“A lot of us didn’t go to school today. Some kids hopped fences.”
I wandered with the crowd to see one man passing out yellow signs about a rally. A little further on I saw a lady wearing sunglasses, a long-sleeved blue shirt and a cell phone attached to her hip like a six-shooter. She started yelling at the students.
Angry heckler...
“Get out of here! Go back to fucking school! You don’t love your country if you carry the Mexican flag!”
There were arguments by a group of counter protesters as well who turned and quickly grew angry.
Angry protesters...
The protesters showed restraint, with one girl saying, “We need to move, I don’t want to get arrested.” Along with the Chicano pride there seemed a mix of anger, steadfastness, determination, and the energy of youth. Hecklers on either side seemed to be pushing emotional buttons that triggered American pride and an enthusiasm to protest.
Soon, a man in a passing truck yelled, “Get the fuck back in school, dumb asses!”
I got angry that people would just yell like that. I’m not dumb. I know a lot of yelling was racially motivated on both sides. Chicano Pride often overwhelmed the multi-ethnic immigration issues in the crowd, whereas passing motorists were often non-Chicano who yelled explicatives. I saw the same thing on day two by a city worker. Sure, there are many Latinos against the protest, but what I witnessed was often a judgemental attitude, of people angry kids weren’t in school.
I don’t blame the crowds for being mostly Latino. We live in the Central Valley, an area rich in Latino heritage. California is a strong Latino state, so it makes sense that the forerunners in the valley protests are of the same heritage. Perhaps a better organized event would have reached more strongly out to other ethnic groups to co-march. Either way, if in the crowd long enough, and if one took the time to talk to the students, people would find many were walking for a multi-ethnic cause, even though there was a healthy dose of anger that seemed to escalate from the appearance of more hecklers and a few counter protesters.
Three of my favorite photos of the protest so far:
Day 1: My favorite protest shirt reads, "Suck my balls, Bush." I just thought it was funny. I actually don't hate Bush. Well, not that I love him either...
Day 2: Look at these prideful faces.
Day 3: This is quite a flag moment.
Kern Radio photos.
Dusty gives a nice link to one of my Jagels photos.
This entry was posted by N.L. Belardes, on
Friday, March 31, 2006.
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