I will leave all the hard reporting to more qualified newspeople on here but just wanted to say I was at this demo and it was amazing! They had like 30 racists, we had about a 1000 counter-demonstrators, more. We shut down the intersection where they had set up so that no cars could go through and we surrounded them. I think they were sending out SOS signals haha. Now we know where they got their name. Finally they left, escorted by police.

This was a great victory but it's just the beginning. Like my pops used to say, "Ahora, hay que ponernos MAS trucha." Stay organized and mobilized and aware of what these groups are upt to, and at the same time, watch out for other lefty groups trying to appropriate and redirect the struggle.

Today it was el PUEBLO unido that defeated these racists over these contested spaces and words. The people, the town, the place.

At one point, we had two options: stand at a yellow police line way down the block from the racists, or go back to the monument and listen to speakers scheduled by the organizers of the rally. Neither seemed adequate--most binaries aren't. Then people started flowing into Jeremie Avenue, down the block and around and back up again around the line of cops. A third way opened up, and soon everyone was gathered at the intersection creating a new space of resistance there. It's always that third way, seek it out, don't let ANYbody box us into either/or.

I think Gloria Anzaldua would have been proud; I think we did her words justice.

If anyone wants a copy of the Anzaldua zine I was passing out at the demonstration, shoot me an email with your mailing address.

KWENTO

Thanks for the report.

1000 to 30! The people have spoken. The event was just aired on local TV 5:00 news channels 2 & 4. They did not show a long shot of 1000 counters. Mainly tight shots of SOS. They did pan across the street once to the counter-demo. But they did not report how out numbered SOS was.

Thanks for getting the news out.

This was taken as we walked back toward the demo (after getting some food). Things were pretty tense, with the situation well escalated, but, at the same time, was defused in different ways. Energy levels were extremely high, though you cannot tell from this photo.

This is the same area, with the SOS protesters at the left, and the counter-protesters at the right. Police from many departments were called in, presenting, perhaps, an interesting image of "diversity" and "unity" as envisioned by SOS, and the image of "diversity" and "unity" posited by the counter-protest.

some refreshing proof that in the city at least, we are the people. we can then see that the incessant ranting of reactionary trolls on this board is only so much buzzing of a few flies who cannot dissociate themselves from the intellectual and moral feces of hate and right wing ideology. bravo al pueblo!

Just another thing I noticed was that there was a lot of fluidity. People were rubbernecking, and checking things out. Some people went from the demo to their home, and then just checked it out at a distance. Others seemed to be in it.

great fucking job! if i had earlier notice i would have been there no doubt. cheers!

I just want to thank all the people who showed up today for victoriously being militant against the SOS racist/fascists; but also keeping our cool against their provocations.

It was also great, that in emergency situation like today;
all the leftist tendencies were able to set aside sectarianism and act in tactical unity. We're gonna need more of this in resisting the fascism that Bush and his ultra-right allies want to impose.

I bet the vast majority of counterprotesters were American citizens. They look like it from the pictures.

They are planning another protest for the fourth of July. I know we all want to be ate home with our families so we can burn American flags as a family (just kidding), but maybe we should move the party to Baldwin Park? SOS is obviously scared of us (the Hispanic menace), so the best thing to do would be to show them that there's nothing to be afraid of: greet them with beans and rice and carne asada (and of course a vegetarian alternative -- 8]--), more danza Azteca, some folklórico dancers, some hip-hop MCs, some musicians, and turn the thing into a party where everyone is invited. It seems like the tactics of the counterprotesters last time resulted only in bad feelings and more hostility....
I'd like to see a healing process begin after the rift these right-wingers have provoked, but we have to take the first step. Come on people, let's turn the other cheek and really reach out to try to begin the process to make this a better world.
Anyone with me?
Rockero420