by Next Move
Sunday, Jun. 26, 2005 at 2:15 PM
Approximately 1000-2000 people showed up to counter the presence of SOS in Baldwin Park.
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It was hard to get a clear estimate of the crowd because people were all over the place, up and down Ramona and the side streets as well as at the monument and down on Pacific St. confronting the SOS.
Demonstrators marched down Ramona St. west and then back to the monument. Many people stayed for the cultural celebration but when the militant contingent (300 or so) returned from confronting SOS down on Pacific St. the ralliers at the monument raised their fists in solidarity.
It was hard to get near SOS but they seemed to have around 40 people at their rally. Some SOS demonstrators were recognized as the same people that showed up in Victorville including the man with the white helmet and the girl with the plaid skirt. They are admitted white supremacists. In Victorville the SOS organizers requested that they stand on a separate corner so as not to be seen on the same side as the National Vanguard (white supremacists) but today they stood shoulder to shoulder in their shared racism and hate.
The police were more prepared this time and had several streets blocked off with K-9 units and patrol cars on every corner on Downing St.
Once again the police protected SOS even though they had no permit and were not welcome by the community.
