On July 14, community members and activists converged once again at a street corner in in Campbell, Calif. to counter a rally held by local members of the Minutemen—an organization of anti-immigrant armed vigilantes.
The Minutemen rallies have been happening once a month, but the community has not sat idly by. Over 40 people
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Demonstrators held placards stating, “No human being is illegal, “The workers struggle has no borders,” “No war on immigrants, on Iraq, on Iran” and “Blind patriotism breeds racism.”
Organizations represented included the Raging Grannies, Students for Justice from De Anza College, Latinos Unidos Caminando Hacia Adelante (LUCHA), South Bay Mobilization, ANSWER Coalition (Act Now to Stop War and End Racism), the Party for Socialism and Liberation and others.
The Minutemen called for the release of the men they now dub the “Texas Three”—border patrol agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean and Deputy Sheriff Guillermo Hernandez. Ramos and Compean shot at and injured an unarmed immigrant who attempted to flee after being assaulted by one of the agents. Hernandez shot at a vehicle carrying undocumented immigrants, injuring one of the passengers. Compean and Ramos were each sentenced to over 10 years in prison and Hernandez is serving a one-year sentence.
It is a rarity indeed for state officers to be charged—much less convicted—for any of the numerous crimes they commit. The media attention given to Ramos, Compean and Hernandez confirms the racist bias of the capitalist system, standing in stark contrast to the complicit silence usually afforded to immigrants and people of color who fall victim to the brutal hands of the state.
Anti-Minutemen protesters rallied at the street corner opposite to the Minutemen at first, but following a performance by the Raging Grannies, many crossed the street and confronted the Minutemen face-to-face with chants such as “Racists, go home” and “What do we want? Racists out! When do we want it? Now!”
The small crowd of Minutemen tried to drown out the chanters to no avail. The message was clear: as long as the Minutemen insist on bringing racist rhetoric to the streets of Campbell, the community will be there to let them know they are not welcome.
