By Ken Magri
On Friday, several hundred Sacramento-area high school students walked out of their classrooms, some gathering at Howe Avenue and Arden Way while others were mustering in front of Arden Fair Mall – but most were carrying signs on their way to the State Capital. It was all part of a planned nationwide walkout.
A group of teens from Rosemont High in Rancho Cordova told SN&R that they left their morning classes to join the downtown protests.
The demonstration eventually migrated to Cesar Chavez Plaza across from City Hall.
At the plaza, a crowd of roughly 2,000 gathered to hear speakers and march to the John Moss Federal Building, which is a hub for ICE agents in Sacramento.
Speakers touched on many issues, including human rights, immigrants’ rights, ICE-initiated violence and corporations that benefit from business contracts with the Department of Homeland Security, or DHS.
Information booths offered literature from progressive advocacy groups including NorCal Resist, Indivisible.org, the Sacramento LGBT Community Center, the Trans and Queer Youth Collective, Camp4Justice and the Sac Immigration Committee, @916EYESonICE.
The rhetoric was heated, and the mood was serious, but protesters remained cheerful. So did the Sacramento Police Department.
SPD officers on motorcycles and bicycles lined up at 9th and I Streets in front of the group, which had a permit to march to the federal building. Officers smiled and waved as they cleared three blocks of I Street to create a safe walking space for the marchers.
On a day filled with headlines about the arrest of journalist Don Lemon for filming a Minneapolis protest, this reporter was initially startled when an SPD officer approached on her bicycle. Pointing at my camera, she said, “I am only allowing you to … photograph me if you get my good side.” The officer then smiled and turned to show her right profile.
Marchers chanted slogans like “Justice for Alex, Justice for Rene” and “No ICE, no KKK, no fascist USA.”
They stopped after reaching the west gate of the federal building’s back parking lot at 6th and N streets. At that location, marchers were offered free water, soap bubbles, penny candies and sidewalk chalk.
A teepee was partially constructed in the far-left lane of N Street. It created a gathering point of sorts, as the block was temporarily closed to traffic. More speeches, chanting and noisemaking followed.
Many people shook their signs and yelled directly at the federal building. Protest organizer Allen O’Brien invited people to speak directly to workers inside by using his bullhorn.
“See those busses in the back? Those are detainee buses,” said Scott Stauffer. “If we see anybody coming into this gate, we keep our focus right here.”
Over the sounds of honking horns, Stauffer told SN&R that he, two other protesters and his van, were attacked with a baseball bat and bear spray by counter-protesters on January 17. What Stauffer called a “Trump train” of flag-bearing trucks arrived late in the evening, outnumbering him and two other protesters.
A cell phone video of this incident circulated online.
Sacramento police took Stauffer’s report and later arrested Shawn McHune, 53, and Megan Garfield, 41 on charges of assault with a deadly weapon, felony vandalism and conspiracy, according to ABC 10 News.
By late afternoon Friday, the Sacramento protests broke up with no reported incidents, arrests or vandalism. For his part, Stauffer stayed at the back gate of the federal building, continuing the vigil and urging others to participate.
“I’m here all the time,” said Stauffer. “I’ll be out here all night.”
Another great piece of reporting by Ken Magri!!! Keep on keeping on, Ken!