On a recent Thursday night (February 2) about eight demonstrators showed up in front of Costa Mesa city councilman Gary Monahan’s restaurant business (Skosh Monahan’s Steakhouse and Irish Pub, 2000 Newport Blvd, Costa Mesa on the corner of Newport Blvd and 20th) to protest his recent vote to have Costa Mesa police act as quasi immigration officers.
A Republican Party fundraiser to benefit Diane Harkey, a far-right contestant for the 35th state senate district, was the other featured attraction. There was some chanting and hollering--one demonstrator walked back and forth in front of the pub yelling out “Mr. Mansoor, come out! You are being arrested for violating the First Amendment of the United States Constitution,” and others shouted “racist go home” and similar slogans.
But the circus began when members of the neo-fascist Minuteman Project came to counter-protest and engaged in shouting matches as well as polite debates with immigrant rights advocates. The highlight of the evening was when Minuteman Project co-founder Jim Gilchrist arrived and, as usual, began to rant about the little Green men who he imagines are out to get him and claimed that the neo-fascist group had 240 million supporters in the United States, up from his previous claim of 200 million about a week earlier.
. . .
Full report with video:
Costa Mesa: Council member says Guinness Beer justifies immigrant crackdown by John Earl
Costa Mesa: Council member says Guinness Beer justifies immigrant crackdown