FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March/Protest Against Costa Mesa's Decision to Deputize Police Officers

COSTA MESA- On Friday, December 23, concerned citizens throughout Orange County will converge upon the Costa Mesa Police Department in protest of the City Council's decision to train city police to enforce immigration law. The measure was approved by the council on December 7, 2005. Costa Mesa will be the first United States city to merge police and immigration duties.

This measure raises concern among Mexican, Central American, and other so-called "Latinos." People with brown skin will be subject to racial profiling, based on appearance and surname. The measure will also erode relations between immigrants and police, as immigrants will fear reporting crimes. Furthermore, vigilantism may increase, as residents may attack and harass people that they perceive to be "illegal."

Police officers are not border patrol agents! All are invited to demand the repeal of the City Council's decision and prevent racial profiling and unfair attacks on immigrants in Costa Mesa.

WHEN: Friday, December 23, 2005

TIME/WHERE: March begins at 3PM at the corner of Bristol and Sunflower, near South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa

Protest begins at 4:30 PM at the Costa Mesa Police Department located at 33 Fair Drive

For more information, e-mail matlazinka@hotmai.com

Sources:

"Costa Mesa police will enforce immigration law." Overley, Jeff.

Orange County Register. Dec. 7, 2005.

Do not disrupt our community.

This is OUR community. Several of the organizers live, work, and attend school in Costa Mesa. Perhaps our concern stems from our whereabouts.

Your community? If you don't like people protesting against the police in YOUR community, then stand on the other side of the street, with YOUR sign and YOUR flag, and I'll try to be there too.

Okay I think I read that wrong, but did Border Raven just defend the protest against the police there?

Does indymedia members believe in the rule of law?

Do you believe in a democratic society where the majority, which is represented by its elected officials, create and enact the laws?

Just curious.

Judging by all the pro-death penalty for Tookie replies, even if some are anonymous, I would think there is some regard for law here.

Do I believe in such a democratic society? Sure, if it works. Does it work now? Now sure if I can truely answer that. Probably in some ways yes and some ways no.

When SOS will be the counter protesters.

http://www.saveourstate.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=6591&pid=63879&st=0entry63879

This should be interesting. Will they get enough people for tomorrow? Will Jim Gilchrist be there with his suit? If so, he'll probably see actual Anarchists there. Yelling at them will keep him occupied all day!

Thing is, Border Raven is calling for SOS to go to the police department itself, rather than the protest he wants to counter. They could be across the street from them, but there's like 6 or 7 lanes of traffic between the two sides of the road.

Indymedia is made up of a lot of different people, so they don't have the same beliefs.

I'm not real big on laws, but I like "rights". That's really how the US legal system works. It's not like you can just pass a law because people want it. It has to be valid under the Constitution, and that document is founded on the idea of "rights of man" or "human rights" that people are born with.

A lot of laws have been passed, and supported, democratically, that were entirely unconstitutional and in total violation of people's rights. There are still a lot of laws like that.