Baldwin Park: Who's Land? Our Land!

In a major local victory over racism, determined counter-protestors in Baldwin Park today turned back Save Our State, a militant anti-immigrant group from Ventura.

Save Our State had announced a protest in opposition to an installation artwork at the Baldwin Park Metrolink Station on Ramona Blvd. and Downing Ave., claiming the piece was pro-illegal immigration. Save Our State recently orchestrated a media campaign in opposition to area billboards referring to "Los Angeles, Mexico" until the billboards’ owner, Clear Channel Communications, removed them.

On hearing of the planned incursion into Baldwin Park, local groups including Aztlan Mexica Nation/Harmony Circle, Frente Unida Pueblos de America, Comite Pro-Democracia en Mexico, and Mexicanos Unidos, quickly organized a counter demonstration. Save Our State had arranged for a permit and police protection for their event, and counter-demonstration organizers hastily did the same. Shortly after 11:00 a.m., Danza Cuatemoc opened the counter-demonstration with a dance and blessing. Manuel Lozano, mayor of Baldwin Park, and David Olivas, a local councilmember, spoke to the anti-racist group. Lozano had previously denounced Save Our State as "un-American" and "perpetuating racism," and at the rally he promised to ask for a state investigation of the hundreds of racist e-mails received by him and others in city government generated by the Save Our State campaign. Also appearing in defense of the monument was Judy Baca, the artist of the installation and noted muralist of Great Wall of Los Angeles, who rallied the assembled crowd of several hundred by reminding them that the monument, inscribed with comments from Baldwin Park residents, belonged to Baldwin Park.

The danzantes led the counter-protestors, mostly young Chicano residents of Baldwin Park with representatives from various Los Angeles anti-racism groups and left-wing political movements, across the small plaza and the parking lot to a police line set up about two hundred feet from the forty or fifty Save Our State members. Armed with signs, banners, cameras, and bullhorns, the counter-demonstrators chanted for the racists to go home. Police positioned themselves about ten feet behind the police line, facing the counter protestors. No similar police presence was apparent at the Save Our State site.

The danzantes led some of the counter-protestors to the plaza, while others made their way around several cordoned-off city blocks to confront Save Our State at the other end of the parking lot. More local residents joined the counter-demonstrators there, and the swelling crowd chanted "¡El pueblo unido jamás será vencido!" and "Whose streets? Our streets! Whose land? Our land!" while the dwindling group of anti-immigration protestors stood in silence holding signs that read "No to Reconquista, no to Aztlan," "Stop Illegal Alien Immigration," and "This land was Mexican once and will be American forever." The Baldwin Park residents and allies crowded around two street corners, again confronted by a line of police and circled by a police helicopter. When the police ordered the anti-racist protestors to move back, the crowd obeyed but called across the intersection "Racists! Two steps back!"

Meanwhile, at the other end of the park, Danza Cuatemoc performed on the four corners of the Ramona and Downing, with the encouragement of local motorists.

One person from Save Our State collapsed and was driven out in an ambulance. Some reports indicated she was struck with a water bottle, while others said she was a victim of heat stroke. The police did not question or challenge the counter-demonstrators about the incident.

At approximately 2:30 p.m., it was announced that Save Our State was leaving the area. Amidst roars of "¡Si, Se Puede!," the breakaway counter-protestors returned to the plaza, and organizers gathered names of those ready to stop the Minutemen at the California border.

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