Clinton Rallies Latinos in East Los Angeles
Hillary Clinton targets Trump at East Los Angeles College Rally
“Viva Mexico, Viva America,” sang the leader of a mariachi band at a Hillary Clinton rally on Thu., May 5, which was energized with the soul of a Latino community taking a stand against presumptive Republican nominee, Donald Trump.
Clinton supporters were given signs that read “Fighting for us,” “Latinos for Hillary,” and “Estoy Contigo,” which means “I’m with you.” The crowd, while mostly Latino, included a number of ethnic and age groups with no specific age being the majority.
Before Clinton made her speech, ELAC President Marvin Martinez, members of the House of Representatives, California Senate President Pro Tempore Kevin de Leon, and Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti took the stage with a focus on taking on Trump and leaving the Democratic primary behind. The tone of the rally may have left an unknowing viewer to believe Clinton’s Democratic rival, Bernie Sanders, had dropped out of the race.
The speeches during the rally included call-to-actions for the attendees to encourage their families, friends, and neighbors to get out and vote for Clinton. During his speech, Garcetti said on Clinton, “She stands for love,” and called for immigrants, children of immigrants, and grandchildren of immigrants to dump Trump.
When asked who in attendance was an immigrant or were children of immigrants, hands were raised by a majority of the room. As well, Garcetti led the crowd in chanting “Deal me in,” referencing Clinton’s reply to Trump’s claim that she was only winning because she played the woman card.
Clinton was introduced by an ELAC student who talked about having to live in fear of her mother being deported, but gained hope from the possibility of having a strong woman president in the oval office.
When Clinton took the stage, the energy in the room increased ten-fold as supporters chanted her name. She continued the theme of the night by asking her supporters to rally their family and friends in support of her and against Trump.
Her speech was momentarily interrupted by a female protester who Clinton offered to talk to, but as the protesters ranting continued she was drowned out and covered by supporters as security escorted her out.
Clinton ended her speech asking her supporters to stay with her through June and into the November election. The former Secretary of State then stepped down from the stage and was surrounded by a sea of camera phones and hands eager to shake her hand.
As the rally attendees left the gymnasium, they were met with a wall of protesters that supported Sanders. The demonstrators waved the Mexican flag, with one protester wearing Aztec attire, as they shouted expletives in English and Spanish to the mostly Latino crowd. Though police, dressed in riot gear, mostly kept the peace, there were some instances in which protesters would harass Clinton supporters and some press leaving the gym including blasting a mega-horn siren in their faces. One of the Clinton supporters was seen taking a lighter tone to the tense situation as he danced down the pathway protesters had lined up next to.
One man who was offering free hugs also helped to keep the peace by holding back Clinton supporters who attempted to fight back against demonstrators that were harassing them. The man also comforted young children that had attended the rally and were crying as they left. Adults and children were yelled at with expletives from the pro-Sanders protesters.
The California primary is on Tues., June 7, with voting by mail beginning Mon., May 9.
