Editor:
I am a resident of Laguna Beach who attended the counter protest to America First at Main Beach. I’m writing because I couldn’t recognize the event the article “Organizer Cancels America First Rally” described and I attended.
I attended because I had watched the YouTube video America First had filmed, trying to enlist protestors. I found it to be violent in nature and targeted against Laguna Beach residents, who were stereotyped as rich, liberal and evil. This was not a rally for victims of illegal immigrant crime; American First was inviting people to teach Laguna Beach residents a lesson, to show us our evil liberal ways.
I was there for a few hours and was very inspired by the people who had come to stand up for Laguna Beach and our values. Thousands of us peacefully came together to say hate wasn’t allowed here, played music and chatted with friends. The police from Laguna and the rest of Orange County did a beautiful and respectful job of keeping the two groups separated
Violence happened after a small a group of America First people, five to 10, decided to leave the area the police had reserved for them and circulated through the larger crowd. This group had some people dressed militarily and some were carrying upside down black and white American flags. I believe that this group did this to incite the peaceful protest and they were successful at it.
I think your article painted a false equivalent between a group that came to town to teach “liberal” Laguna a lesson and those who came to say that hate doesn’t fly here.
Michael Waldman, Laguna Beach
Michael Waldman, that’s beautiful story. I can sleep tight now. What in the world were you watching. Antifa marching/jogging around in groups of 20 like a military unit all having covered faces with masks and bandannas. You can pretend they cover their faces so they wont be harassed but we all know that is BS. The only ones to throw blows were the peaceful left. What a joke!
Yes lets ban freedom of speech in Laguna too. We have not banned nearly enough of our civil liberties in this town.
Your statement is filed with asinine contradictions. The America First Rally were the Peaceful Demonstrators and none were arrested for violence.
The violence and arrests originated from troublemakers who led the protest: the Democratic Socialist and Antifa. The protesters were even name calling our police!
NONE of the America First Rally Peaceful Demonstrators were arrested.
“I believe that this group did this to incite the peaceful protest and they were successful at it.”
Another asinine contradiction.
You are correct 5 protesters resorted to not being peaceful and one white racist “protester” attacked a black man who was carrying an American flag as a rally demonstrator.
All ARRESTS for VIOLENCE were those who came as PROTESTERS. The protesters were not “peaceful” , just another of your asinine contradictions. As you readily admit the protesters were “incited” to violence. You are asinine.