L.A. Protests Spark Mixed Reaction Locally
Tracy Lehr
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – The recent protests in Los Angeles are on the minds of community activists, leaders and candidates.
Images sparking debate include a photo of man holding the flag of Mexico on top of a burning Google self-driving Waymo car taken and shown with the permission of Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer Nick Ut.
Jacqui Inda, who works with the La Casa de la Raza community center and the local Hispanic Chamber of Commerce said the image reminded her that anger is a secondary emotion to fear.
“Anger is what is explosive and visible,” said Inda, “We are not at war, but our people are living in feat. Although it is inappropriate to hurt other,s it is still true that fear is the underbelly of this reactive 4 day protest.”
Inda said she has already helped a dozen local families impacted by deportations.
“Santa Barbara has been targeted for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and our deportations are larger here than they are in Oxnard or Ventura or even San Luis Obispo, so that kind of climate is only brewing in this area. and once that federal budget comes through our target area will only increase that kind activity here it is only a matter,” said Inda.
Retired U.S. Navy Officer Bob Smith called the Nick Ut image “horrible.”
The Republican, from Carpinteria, recently announced he is running for Congress in the 24th District.
Smith blames sanctuary cities and the California Values Act, known as SB 54 or the “Sanctuary State” law that does not allow local resources to be used to assigned federal Immigration enforcement.
‘If we have local and state law enforcement not working with our federal official as they go it creates this issue where there is not communication and ICE agents are saying that they are not being protected and they are under attack and then if the state officials can’t work with the ICE agents then you have left the President with no other choice than I have to go in and send federal back up,” said Smith.
Rep. Salud Carbajal issued a statement saying in part: “Deploying Marines into a major American city sets an extremely dangerous precedent.”
The Santa Barbara Democrat served in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve.
“As a Marine myself, I won’t stay silent as Trump tries to politicize our servicemembers and use them to create more chaos because he wants to distract the country as he works to cut Americans’ health care, veterans’ benefits, food assistance, and more.”
Elected leaders, candidates and activists expect more protests on Saturday when President Trump will be celebrating his 79th birthday with a military parade.
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