“Trump’s a fool, Trump’s a clown, we are here to shut him down”– crowd chant.

Story and Photos By Doug Porter

The bad weather took a pause for Saturday’s Solidarity with Immigrants rally. In fact, it was bright and sunny, as you’ll see from all the squinting eyes in the pictures below. SDFP editor Frank Gormlie counted two thousand people as the crowd left the staging area in front of the County Administration Building.

Prior to the march–which will be covered in a later post,–musician Fabio Alejo Rojas performed ‘Clandestino’ and Karina Frost led the crowd in singing ‘This Land is Your Land.’ The rally was MC’d by Mohamed M. Abdallah with ASL translation by Ingrid Salazar and Paul Lambert.

Speakers included Sharia Alam (Rage against Fascism), Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzales-Fletcher, Ismahan Abdullahi (PANA), Former Los Angeles Major Antonio Villaraigosa, Dreamer Maren Ramos, Imam Taha Hassane (Islamic Center San Diego) and Christian Ramirez (Alliance San Diego).

One promised feature for the day didn’t materialize–ten taco trucks. Although the City and County were okay with the idea, the long arm of Cheeto Jesus reached out to San Diego. Homeland Security vetoed the idea. (Who says Trump doesn’t notice our protests?)

The crowd was diverse. The signs were great. The mood was upbeat. San Diegans of all types came out to show their support for immigrants.

Crowd shot

More crowd

Assembly member Lorena Gonzalez-Fletcher

Former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa next to King Chevez Dream Maren Ramos

As usual, the signs were outstanding

Headed out on the march thru downtown.

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Doug Porter

Doug Porter was active in the early days of the alternative press in San Diego, contributing to the OB Liberator, the print version of the OB Rag, the San Diego Door, and the San Diego Street Journal. He went on to have a 35-year career in the Hospitality business and decided to go back into raising hell when he retired. He won numerous awards for his columns from the Society of Professional Journalists in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017. Doug is a cancer survivor (sans vocal chords) and lives in North Park.

Latest posts by Doug Porter (see all)

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