
Two of the alt-Reich boys harassing speakers at the rally. The megaphone was playing a siren noise.
By Doug Porter
There were rallies calling for the impeachment of President Donald Trump in cities around the United States on Sunday. Supporters of the President turned out for counter protests in Austin, Los Angeles, Philadelphia and New York. Law enforcement officers in those cities worked to keep the groups separated, allowing each to express their First Amendment rights.
The situation in San Diego at the County Administration Building was different, as Sheriff’s Deputies initially stood by idly and watched as members of the ‘Proud Boys’ disrupted, threatened and harassed attendees and speakers.
The Southern Poverty Law Center called this group an “Alt-Right Fight Club” in an article following the April street fighting in Berkeley, California. Many of the disrupters came down from Orange County. Some wore helmets and appeared as though they were ready for combat; others kept their battle gear tethered to their belts or hidden under American flag capes they wore.
Go here for coverage of the Impeachment Rally + photo gallery

Here’s their celebratory posting on Facebook
(Here is an interesting article about one of the ringleaders, Johnny Benitez.)
Attendees of the impeachment protest largely refused to engage the Alt-Reich Trumpistas and there was–amazingly–no violence. About half an hour into the rally, San Diego County Sheriff’s Deputies finally moved to separate the groups, following frantic calls to public officials from rally attendees.
I was there, and it sure felt like violence was imminent, especially as a disrupter group armed with a megaphone made their way to the front of the crowd. Rally speakers tried to speak over a siren sound effect and insults.
The counter-demonstrators eventually left the front of the stage area and regrouped to the north of the building. Getting behind a large banner, they then tried to push towards the stage as martial music blared from their megaphones.
Shades of Nazi Germany.
The Deputies stopped their advance about 30 feet from the stage.
The organizers of the rally were forced to stop their program of speakers and relocate, as law enforcement declared the sidewalks in front of the entrance/stage to now be the barrier between the groups. Having lost their ability to communicate with the crowd, the Impeachment rally leadership started their march early and headed south towards Broadway.
The Proud Boys and their followers followed, breaking into smaller packs and weaving through the marchers, obviously hoping to provoke violence. The San Diego Police Department did a much better job of keeping a lid on things.
As the impeachment marchers returned to the County Administration building, the martial music from the alt-reich megaphones tried–but failed–to drown them out.
Contrast the SD Sheriff’s Department’s behavior with this report from the Los Angeles Times:
At a counterprotest before the pro-impeachment march, about three to four dozen Trump supporters gathered on the sidewalk outside Los Angeles Police Department headquarters, in an area roped off by yellow police tape.
I’ve got a couple of first person accounts via Facebook to share, followed by a brief summary of the findings of the Southern Poverty Law Center about the Proud Boys.
Here’s a snip from activist (and rally speaker) Mark Lane:
These guys came down from LA to our rally today dressed in helmets and masks looking for a fight. There was almost no police presence. The sheriffs who were there, did not separate them from our group, and in fact allowed them to come right into our group. Seeing as how Bill Gore-sheriff was not able to correctly police this protest, I made a call to Dave Myers candidate for sheriff and current sheriff’s captain. Lori Saldaña called police chief Zimmerman directly as well. Because of those calls, we were able to get a bigger police presence. Dave Myers came out and helped direct the deputies…
Here are excerpts from former Assemblywoman Lori Saldaña’s account:
As I walked towards the County Administration Building, I noticed groups of people (mostly men) carrying US flags and Pro-Trump signs heading towards the steps, passing Deputy Sheriff’s who remained about 100 yards away from where Impeachment March organizers had set up sound system and chairs.
As we gathered and prepared to speak at 11 am, several of the pro-Trump men pushed their way to the front of the audience, directly behind barriers set up to keep people back from the speaking area. They began shouting and using bullhorns to prevent us from beginning the program.
Volunteers tried to keep them quiet- they continued being disruptive, chanting, smoking and blowing smoke at attendees, shouting, etc. There was pushing, shoving and elbowing as they stood at the barrier and refused to move back.
At this point- 11:04 am- I called SDPD Chief Zimmerman. I described what was happening, and told her I was concerned of the potential for physical altercations in the crowd if law enforcement didn’t approach closer.
The Deputy Sheriffs were still 100 yards away. Private security was closer, but doing nothing to deter the men with bullhorns.
After several minutes of this the Sheriff’s told our assembled group we had to move off the paved area where we had set up. This made attendees think we were beginning to march, and before we could set up the sound system to continue the presentations- people began to march.
UPDATE: Here’s a snip from March activist Jeane Wong’s comment (full text below, but I thought this belonged up here, emphases mine):
I was up front helping to organize the speakers. The speaker space was set up where it usually is. A group showed up far to the right on the corner, who we later learned are a group called Proud boys and based in Orange County. They came into our group in the front and elbowed several of our people. I was up front trying to keep these guys from grabbing our signs and pushing and elbowing volunteers while yelling in a bullhorn directly in our ears. The man with the red bullhorn repeatedly called one of our speakers a monkey. She responded by singing we shall overcome.
It made it very difficult for us to maintain a peaceful place to be heard it was also scary for some. After I asked a sheriff to remove them from our space and reported that they were elbowing people he told me that we should move, that way we wouldn’t get elbowed. After I told him that all of our speaker wires etc were set up and people are speaking. Moving is not an option at this point. He told me if I didn’t move our group over that I was personally responsible for any violence that would happen and these guys had a right to be in our space. Terri was standing with me and we were both taken back at his response. I asked him to please keep them out of our space that was set up much earlier in the morning. We didn’t go into their space to provoke, they came into ours. The sheriff told me that they moved but we hadn’t which could cause me to be responsible for inciting violence.
Finally, here’s a snip from William Johnson, a longtime activist who spent way too much of his day trying to prevent violence:
Let me start from the beginning – I arrived at the County Building at 10:45 with Rocky to see the roughly 60 Counter-Protesters, dressed in camo, helmets, body armor, and “Don’t tread on me” flags, starting to approach the rally, and I startled to see them, run to where we were getting set up. It seemed fine for a while, as they were just doing their own chants and keeping a distance about 30 feet away from us, so I got to go around saying “Hi” to people for a little bit, but it didn’t last long.
Right when we were about to start the rally, I saw about 20 of the counter-protesters break off from their group, walk over to Harbor, and start walking our direction, so I work my way through the crowd as fast as I could and right before they tried to infiltrate our rally I get there and loudly say “That’s far enough guys!…”
…a few of them caused a scene in the middle, but 4 of them, some of them looking ready to fight, go to the very front of the rally area, and begin to be disruptive as we start. I decide to stand just a few feet to their left, blocking the entrance to the front staging area and just being a shield to the people around us and trying to not engage with them.
The first 2 speakers were great, but performed under a tirade of noise by these guys in the front. When the 2nd speaker came up though, a West African woman, I heard the guy who was next to me (the skinny, taller guy with the yellow t-shirt, black helmet, and wearing an American Flag), yell “Take off your Woopie Goldberg wig”, and I turned to him, and said, “Hey, that’s racist, don’t say that”, and he responds “Yeah.”
It’s in this moment, that I realize I’m not dealing with just a “Proud Boy”, This guy is definitely more than that…
Make no mistake about this: the Trumpistas were frightening, reprehensible and aggressive. They were organized and used planned disruptive techniques. At times I heard military-type orders being given, like “fall-back”, “advance”, etc.
While the physically intimidating men were the focus of attention, there were several women who moved through the crowd, live streaming, passing information back to the leadership through couriers, and mocking the impeachment marchers.
So, about those Proud Boys…
Here’s an excerpt from The Southern Poverty Law Center’s Hatewatch blog:
The Proud Boys reportedly have a four-step initiation process. It starts with a prospect declaring himself a “Proud Boy,” suiting up in Fred Perry polo shirts with yellow stripes—similar to those worn by skinheads.
The second degree is a “cereal beat-in” during which the new member is punched and beaten by current members until the plebe can rattle off the names of five cereals (you know, Corn Flakes, Rice Krispies, Cheerios!)
The third degree reported involves “adhering to the masturbation regimen and getting a tattoo,” blogger Will Sommer wrote in a recent post.
Since then, a fourth-degree has been added to the initiation ritual – brawling with antifascists at public rallies.
The official military wing of the Proud Boys is called the “Fraternal Order of the Alt-Knights” (FOAK).
For the record, there were none of the black-clad antifa at San Diego’s Impeachment rally. But, then again, these guys didn’t really care. The only difference to them was that it meant not getting a gleeful mention of Sean Hannity’s Faux News show.
I don’t think the County Administration Building should be considered a safe space for exercising First Amendment rights anymore. The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department made a statement yesterday. This wasn’t just bad policing. This was a command decision. And future protests in “America’s Finest City” will have to plan on these provocateur-types showing up, coming up creative and non-violent ways to protect everybody’s rights.
Final notes: I have experience with being targeted by local right wing militants going back more than 40 years. The offices of the original San Diego Free Press were destroyed. A house where many of the original OB Rag staff (including myself) was targeted for a drive-by shooting; one woman had her elbow shattered by a bullet. In both those incidents, police claimed –and the Union-Tribune reported–we’d done it to ourselves to gain sympathy. As it turned out, law enforcement was in on these acts, with a paid FBI informant acting as leader of the group. Only after the group bombed a Hillcrest porno theater—endangering the lives of other law enforcement agents in the audience ‘investigating’– were charges brought.
So my point here is that there is a good reason to believe some of the alt-Reich types are sworn personnel or paid informants.
Here’s a rogue’s gallery, with comments:
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Yellow tee said San Diego Chapter of the Proud Boys
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One of the people yelling at the speakers
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The guy in the Black shirt was who the Sheriff's ended up speaking with when they decided to intervene.
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Negotiations in progress.
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Note the black polo with yellow striped collar. This is the uniform of the not-yet-initiated.
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Note Pepe the fascist frog on the flag
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This person was tasked with live streaming and infiltrating the crowd.
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the banner boys
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notice anything in common here?
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Johnny Benitez (pictured) and Kim Michael Sorgente were standing side by side with stupid smirks on their faces. (Via Facebook)
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I love your highly accurate accounting of yesterday’s event. Thank you for continuing to be an awesome voice for truth in San Diego. Great article. Thank you!
thank you for this good work. We need accurate information on these stormtroopers.
Why weren’t those wearing the American flag arrested. That is an offence!
Saw this aa well. Where were the police when the pro Trump people walked right up to the front?
Thank you for your detailed reporting-I was there too. I’ve been at a number of marches there previously. This felt very different from the start. As I was approached the building we saw a few people with flag parafernalia. I didn’t think much of it as other marches had a few opposition people. They were very aggresively trying to push there way into into the crowd, disruptive with chants with bullhorns. I was starting to worry that this might get out out of hand. But it was hard to see what was actually going on while in the crowd. I’m happy the police werecalled when they did, but I wonder why the sheriffs just stood while this was going on.
I was honored to be a part of the group that organized this most indelibly significant march for justice and human rights. It is intolerable that this hatred exits. Our march was a peaceful expression of resistance. I applaud Indivisible and it’s members. Threats, anger, bullying, and violence have no place in our hearts. We are expressing equality, compassion, and dignity. We resist all else.
I watched this situation disintegrate from the front stage area, as protesters entered the area set aside for hearing impaired/disabled and began blasting us with bullhorns and yelling.
Meanwhile- Sheriff’s Deputies stood chatting with one another 10 yards away, and didn’t get close enough to respond until I placed my call to SDPD, who then contacted the Sheriff.
If you were at the event and witnessed this situation, and were concerned by the lack of response by County law enforcement- please post information here, and/or file a formal complaint.
Send your complaint to:
Citizens’ Law Enforcement Review Board via letter, email, and/or fax:
555 W Beech Street, Suite 505
San Diego, CA 92101-2940
Phone: (619) 238-6776
Fax: (619) 238-6775
clerbcomplaints@sdcounty.ca.gov
Thank you!
Edit- that should have been 100 yards away (not 10).
As I was talking with SDPD Chief Zimmerman, I could see several Deputies apparently unaware of the disruption, calmly talking with one another as people were being pushed and shoved near the steps where organizers had set up the sound system.
I went up to one of the officers and asked for his help because the things these thugs were saying were racist, crude, cruel, and disgusting. He just smirked at me and said they’re not doing anything wrong. He could care less about us protesters or those getting abused. He was clearly in support of the anti protester paid thugs.I’m a white woman. Wonder if I was a white guy if he would have reacted that way? This was despicable behaviour on the part of the police.
i witnessed it all from the side up front halfway in between the podium and the front row- and was on the same side as the nazi helmet and american flag combo guys who were using the sirens and bullhorns being incredibly threatening, intimidating, and spewing their hate like vomit at full volume and i was filming the event for normal heights indivisible/SD indivisible- and was filming even as i asked one of the sheriffs about why disrupting the peace all of a sudden didn’t apply and frankly….
it was evident that they were supportive of the fanatical trump folks- i have some of the same individuals on film trying to disrupt our inauguration day rally- specifically the one in front of the federal building- we had marched after the initial rally in balboa park down and had a great rally program in the pouring rain, still we had tons of protesters getting drenched in resistance- literally going the distance folks stayed for the full route- 3 rallies and 2 marches and the weather ripped umbrellas apart actually- it was not lost on us that our emotions were personified precisely by the weather! (i am going to be uploading all that video and thousands of photos from even last year, from all over san diego…
i documented the genesis of the resistance movement but had resisted social media my whole life and had no place to upload them and anyhow those same folks were blasting the siren/bullhorn bullshit and had a boom box circa 1987 blasting the don’s inauguration speech and they were told by the police that they had to turn it down as their intent was disruption of our event) we gained even more numbers as the rain came down harder and we marched to chicano park in a virtual monsoon- i was like should i use the term walk cause swim was more accurate at that point!
anyhow- my point is that the sheriff pardon my language but seriously these guys got the biggest hard-ons of their life because they literally were finally effective at entirely crashing our event- this empowerment by positive reinforcement of their disgusting behavior by the sherriff’s department really upset me deeply having seen these same folks trying this more times than i can count/film and they were enabled and empowered instead of put in check and even when i asked the sherriff a question i had other sherriffs come at me and treat me like shit frankly and i was polite and recording the whole time; thank goodness- but i am so grateful to Lori for posting the complaint info for the sherriff dept and i will definitely be filing a complaint and uploading as much footage as i can to the normal heights indivisible page (by monday i promise i will finally have a huge amount of pictures and video i am a technosaurus so i am sorry for the delay but it will be worth it)
I want to thank the event organizers and volunteers for deciding to march and then return to our program of speakers and performers once we returned from the march; that was the right decision at the right time; thanks so much y’all cause the sheriffs …. left much too be desired…-
i noticed that our folks counted about 2500 people but the sheriff said there were only 1500 and it’s only my opinion but they seem to be intentionally understating our numbers- it was much more apparent when we were walking how large the crowd was; it did seem smaller when we were gathered for the rally and perhaps that is relevant to the discrepancy but when taken in context with the behavior of the sheriff department it just seemed sketchy- they were acting “hinky”too say the least (albeit a lot lol!)!
At least 2,500 maybe even 3,000 people
I personally counted 1300 in the march but did not include stragglers or those left back at the rally site.
I was in the front, I saw the sheriff deputies/police with the helmet guys on the side, and then all of a sudden I looked over and there were no police!! Then the helmet guys started coming into the crowd of Trump protesters yelling stuff. One was waving a flag with Pepe the Frog so you know what that means. It was quite intimidating. I went over to a private security guard and she told me SDPD was contacted. A few minutes later we were asked to move to the south side. Doug’s account is very accurate as to what I observed. I would also like to add that there was a large percentage of senior citizens among the Trump protesters.
Thank you- please file a report!
Law enforcement knew exactly what they were doing and would have been responsible if violence had happened. Clearly they were unwilling to do their job and enabled the Trump people every step. Next time the officers should be honest and just wrap themselves in flags, cover their faces and join their comrades. I lost what remaining respect I had for law enforcement.
Thank you Gail- please include this information in a report to CLERB.
I was marching next to my husband when one of the antagonizers shoved his poster board front and center into him trying to push him down and shouting at both of us. This was at the last 50 yards when we finished the march in front of the administration building and there were police to the side completely oblivious to what was happening. It was frightening.
Thank you Laurel- please file a report.
From my viewpoint this is what happened July 2nd. I hope that this helps to assure that SD go in another direction for future rally’s, marches etc.
I was up front helping to organize the speakers. The speaker space was set up where it usually is. A group showed up far to the right on the corner, who we later learned are a group called Proud boys and based in Orange County. They came into our group in the front and elbowed several of our people. I was up front trying to keep these guys from grabbing our signs and pushing and elbowing volunteers while yelling in a bullhorn directly in our ears. The man with the red bullhorn repeatedly called one of our speakers a monkey. She responded by singing we shall overcome. It made it very difficult for us to maintain a peaceful place to be heard it was also scary for some. After I asked a sheriff to remove them from our space and reported that they were elbowing people he told me that we should move, that way we wouldn’t get elbowed. After I told him that all of our speakers wires etc were set up and people are speaking. Moving is not an option at this point. He told me if I didn’t move our group over that I was personally responsible for any violence that would happen and these guys had a right to be in our space. Terri was standing with me and we were both taken back at his response. I asked him to please keep them out of our space that was set up much earlier in the morning. We didn’t go into their space to provoke, they came into ours. The sherif told me that they moved but we hadn’t which could cause me to be responsible for inciting violence.
Afterwards I talked to another sheriff James and clarified for any other marches that if we set up where we were in the end and they have that side walk as a barrier that we not be FORCED to move and that they keep that group from coming into our space to keep everyone safe – he agreed.
This level of aggression was new. In my experience San Diego has easily been peaceful. This was a learning experience for all involved and I feel confident we learned how to move forward and remain peaceful and safe. I hope everyone is on the same page.
On a personal note – my instinct was to NOT move our crowd as it led to everyone starting to march early and we were bullied to give up our space. My son was standing with me and there many elderly and young kids on our side and this group was aggressive. I feel that the sheriffs allowing them in our space and not responding to their physical elbowing and bullying by removing them (maybe 10 in our space and 40 total of them) from our space but rather having 800-1k (my estimate and I am not good at it – ) move everything and everybody emboldened them.
I feel that they got a win July 2nd and will be back in our peaceful city because of it. There was a march in their city as well but in my opinion they weren’t there because the police do not let them do what they were allowed to do to us .
Sorry this is from my phone and some notes I was taking while there –
The picture below is me holding a sign blocking one them while they had a bullhorn right in my ear — Avcording to their FB and YouTube channels this group purposely comes to provoke and incite – from their live feeds you can hear them planning and executing this. You can also see their YouTube post of them following people afterward far beyond Waterfront to harrass them. And even more disturbing videos that they are proud of. This goes far beyond freedom of speech.
Hopefully the SD sheriff work out a solution that does not invite this into our city any further.
I hope you have a great 4th –
Best always Jeane
Thank you for this detailed summary. It matches with what I was observing from the stage area on the County Admin steps that prompted me to call SDPD.
Please file a CLERB report and submit your comments to the march organizers as well!
Already done and done. #womengetitdone ;)
+1
Lori et al, If someone was pushed, elbowed, or subjected to any rough contact, that is considered an assault, according to our Peace Resouce Center instructor who trained the core group of Peacekeepers for the march (we were the 10-15 volunteers wearing dayglo yellow vests). If anyone reports they were manhandled, the law was clearly broken and if a Sherrif ignored a reported assault, what does that mean? Did the Sherrif break the law, too? I witnessed the march from another perspective which is not complimentary to the two sherrifs officers, either. I have written my complaint as an email and two of my fellow peacekeepers are looking at it before I send it. We plan to recruit and train 50-100 more non violent, unhelmeted, unarmed peacekeepers to be made available to help at future marches to mitigate these cowards who confidently bully their neighbors’ children, seniors and innocent, peaceful men and women assembling according to their constitutional right under our constitution. I was frightened, but I will keep protesting. “F” them.
Thank you!
Agreed: more involvement is needed to counter these efforts to disrupt and incite reactions.
Thank you !
I have never felt unsafe at a protest until this march. It seemed evident that the law enforcement was not interested in protecting those who arrange and participated in the march. They spent their time conversing with Pro-Trump supporters and seemed to fade away as they tried to storm the stage.
The fact that they showed up with helmets and gloves indicates they were there prepared for a fight. They should have been stopped immediately but instead WE were forced to move and they were allowed free range to attack us.
The San Diego police and Sheriff force were very rude. Turned their back when the pushing started. They were sarcastic and obviously not interested in our rights when it was pointed out to them. They may as well have been wearing swastikas. The police were horribly rude at the Equality March too. Chief Zimmerman has no idea who she has working these events. Nice overtime for the cops.
The Impeachment rally was on County property, therefore it was the SD Sheriffs who abdicated their responsibility. There were private security cops whose uniforms may have looked like the SDPD. The SDPD did cover the march when it left county property. My observation was they were much more professional than the Sheriffs.
Agree 100% Four SDPD stepped in at the base of the fountain/ statue before the march and surrounded an aggressive counter protestor (?). They calmed everyone down and stayed close and attentive.They escorted us every step of the march and I think they saved us from some big problems that the sherrifs let get out of control. We were in danger and the sherrifs did not appear to protect us.
I’ve been attending these marches with my wife and children – 8 & 11. We had intended to march at this one too but out of town guests dropped in, so we gave it a miss. The Sheriff’s Dept. misconduct described here is horrifying. I hope there are consequences for the Dept.
I cannot speak to the behavior of the sheriffs. However, I will say that the diisruptors were aggressive, frightening, and intentionally infiltrating the crowd to intimidate. It was my first experience like this and I’ve attended all but 1 of the San Diego marches since January. It was very distressing and I was saddened to have my right to protest taken away by fellow citizens. The March organizers did a great job keeping things calm. It is important to be clear that this was not a counter-protest, but planned and organized disruption.
Related to this: California’s attorney general says the number of hate crimes increased about 11 percent last year, the second consecutive double-digit increase after years of decline. The report released Monday, July 3, 2017, shows 931 hate crimes statewide in 2016, nearly 100 more than in 2015.
http://www.scpr.org/news/2017/07/03/73507/california-hate-crimes-up-blacks-jews-gay-men-targ/
Compare/contrast how law enforcement set up a line early, to keep noisy protesters away from others at this Dumanis retirement event, vs. their complete lack of planning and actions to keep counter-protesters away from organized presentation at the San Diego #ImpeachmentMarch
https://www.leafly.com/news/politics/san-diego-das-exit-celebration-especially-cannabis-advocates
UPDATE: You’re invited: CLERB Board Meeting – 5:30 PM, Tuesday, August 8th, SD County Administration Center.
Several members of the Impeachment March SD planning group (and others) have been meeting on a weekly basis to address the concerns regarding the Sheriff Department’s response to the “Proud Boys'” aggressive behavior and attempts to incite violence at our July 2nd event. We have compiled info and documentation from many of you who felt unsafe at the event, via our online survey. Our group will be strongly stating our collective concerns during the ‘Public Comment’ portion of the agenda at the next CLERB Board Meeting – 5:30 PM, Tuesday, August 8, 2017. The meeting takes place at the County Admin. Center – 1600 Pacific Hwy, Room 302/303.
We invite you to show up at this meeting as a show of your support for our efforts to hold the Sheriff’s Department accountable for their seeming lack of action to protect us all at our event. The Public Comment portion of the meeting is item #8 on the Agenda. During our 5-minutes of public comment, we will also request to have this issue placed on the next CLERB meeting agenda (October) in order to further address the important issue of public safety at protest events.
Please join us as supportive audience members on Tuesday, August 8th. (Free parking is available in the underground parking garage, south side of Ash St., in the 3-hour public parking spaces.)
CLERB UPDATE: Since Impeachment March organizers and presenters believe actions should have consequences, many of us testified at the County Law Enforcement Review Board (CLERB) meeting on August 8.
We told the Board that people who are rushing a stage, shouting at people, and blasting them in the face with bullhorns are not only disrespectful- they are intimidating, and their actions could escalate into fighting and violence.
Also, people who attend events dressed in masks, helmets, gloves, goggles etc. seem to have an interest in engaging in physical violence.
The Board members listened, and agreed to take up the matter at their October meeting.
Finally, we will be meeting with Sheriff Bill Gore, to discuss this event, and to ask him what he intends to do to make sure this will not happen again, especially in light of events in Charlottesville this weekend.
My first concern about tonight’s (8/13) vigil was violence instituted by the Proud Boys. I attended the Impeachment March and was personally harassed by them but that will not stop me from attending tonight. I will just be more aware of who I’m standing next to.
UPDATE: the US Department of Justice is now investigating the “San Diego Proud Boys.” And at the Anti-Defamation League forum Aug. 15, organizers reminded attendees that San Diego County and California have some of the highest numbers of white extremist organizations in the nation.
From KPBS: “California tops the nation for the number of active hate groups, according to a new report by the Southern Poverty Law Center. Nearly 80 hate groups operate up and down the state, with most based in Southern California.
“San Diego has seen a 33 percent increase in anti-Semitic incidents in 2017, a fourfold increase compared to the same period last year, according to ADL.”
You mentioned Johnny Benentiz in your article. Johnny Benentiz aka Sterling Abrades aka Juan Cadavid organized an anti-immigration rally this past weekend in Laguna Beach. He also had a prominent role in the Berkeley altercations earlier this year. After reading the interesting article in the O.C. Weekly about this darling of the Proud Boys I became curious about his use of multiple names. Which name does he use on his Massage Therapist license? His LinkedIn profile currently shows he is using Sterling Abrades. https://www.linkedin.com/in/sterling-abrade-1071bb11b
Wonder if his license is legal? Wonder if his employer Hand and Stone Massage in Laguna Beach knows his true identity?
http://www.handandstonelagunabeach.com/
Just curious.
Mick,
He goes by Juan Cadavid with the California Massage Therapy Council. His license # is #39533. This guy is a POS and coward(can’t even go by his real name). I was up in Berkeley this past weekend and he’s just trying to start stuff.
RELATED EVENT: TruSD September Salon: Responding to White Nationalism
As the “alt-right” is emboldened to increasing its public demonstrations and actions, it is imperative that communities think about coordinating responses in the interest of maintaining public safety for all its citizens, while reaffirming that our diversity is the very thing which makes our country strong. The violent demonstrations of white nationalists on August 12th in Charlottesville, VA – including the terrorist attack that that left one dead and dozens injured – lays bare the need to take action in response to groups that had once resigned themselves to existing on the fringe of society.
This salon will discuss the history of white nationalism, including the “alt-right” and Nazi sympathizing groups in the United States (and San Diego), the current state of affairs, and the way forward. We hope you’ll join the San Diego chapter of the Truman National Security Project in working to push this scourge back into the shadows where they belong. We don’t need to remind anyone what happened last time a group of Nazis took on Truman. That legacy is all of ours to carry forward.
The format is easy – a guided discussion with the featured guests leading. You will enjoy delicious snacks, delightful conversation, and drinks. The rest of the audience will be thought leaders, elected officials, and community leaders from the Southern California region with an interest in learning more about this cancer within our society.
When: 9/16/2017 6-9pm
Where: Icon Skybox, 321 10th Ave, San Diego, CA 92101