A great opportunity was missed by coalition members from both LA and San Diego for a mass protest of Gilchrist at the Jacumba gap and with a second opportunity lost to disrupt Chases minutemen the next day at their sign up at the VFW. This last weekends excursion revealed that the battle is still out there at the border. With no one to confront them the minute men simply have free reign over the desert.
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On saturday October 8th elements from Gente Unida, The Organic Collective, and La Tierra es de Todos linked up at about noon at the border camp just below the Pacific Crest Trail head in Campo CA. The group included a total of seven Anarchists two of which came from LA. Both LA-ISO and ISO San Diego were absent.
The small band passed James Chase as they car pooled over to the Jacumba gap where about 40 heavily armed minutemen led by Jim Gilchrist were stationed along the 3 to 4 block stretch of border nestled between two large hills. With most of their license plates blacked out they lined up along the cow fence that serves as the barrier between the two states with camping chairs, canopies and about 8 to 10 large U.S. flags. The Organic Collective gathered at the western end of the gap and stirred up some commotion while the other part of the border coalition patrolled up and down the eastern end dusting the minutemen with their Ford Explorer adorned with a large Gente Unida flag. The small border band was also joined by the Angeles del Desierto ambulance and about 8 to 10 comrades from south of the border who were armed with a pick up truck mounted sound system. They played Mexican ballads as they drove up and down along the southern side of the fence. It was clear that this vigil was only for propaganda purposes only. Gilchrist and company all left before sundown along with a Fox News truck and a contingent of “independent media” one of which drove a Humvee. The Organic Collective wisely left a little bit before after a member was threatened by the Border Patrol with a large fine for allegedly crossing over to the Mexican side.
The minutemen were observed holding up in a small trailer park called Outdoor World in between Campo and Jacumba on old highway 80. Later that night the remaining 5 coalition members settled down to fish sticks and coffee in the chilly night air of the base camp. Two minutemen attempted to disrupt the camp in the middle of the night but failed to do so. They debated so long on what to do that they awakened 2 coalition members and were scared off when they emerged from their tent. Another attempt was made at dawn but were spotted easily as they drove over the eastern horizon with their headlights on. The two LA Anarchists greeted the 4 vehicles and watched the minutemen go back as they retreated from their sad attempt to emulate the Buenos Noches Brigade.
La Tierra es de Todos returned to the Jacumba gap in the late morning and saw about half the number of minutemen that were there on the previous day. Gilchrist was not seen. On their return to camp La Tierra also observed about 15 to 20 of Chase’s goons lining up outside the Campo VFW to register for their October mobilization.
A great opportunity was missed by coalition members from both LA and San Diego for a mass protest of Gilchrist at the Jacumba gap and with a second opportunity lost to disrupt Chases minutemen the next day at their sign up at the VFW. This last weekends excursion revealed that the battle is still out there at the border. With no one to confront them the minute men simply have free reign over the desert. About 4 or five powerful gunshots were heard east of the Pacific Crest Trail head after sunrise sunday morning.
