Los Angeles Indymedia : Activist News

SOS spent a short week of hard and fast Internet organizing and used the unchallenged nightly local media exposure to their advantage. Earlier in the week Don Silva sent out an impassioned plea to his e-mail lists in which he stated, “I am asking, basically pleading with as many of you as possible to show up this Saturday.” Silva’s begging paid off – SOS drew their biggest crowd ever, approximately 75.

The opposition consisting of several local groups and individuals drew about 100. Two prominent groups there today were the ANSWER Coalition and the Mexica-Movement. One report on the Save Our State website placed the numbers at around 100 SOS to 150 anti-SOS. . . .

Full report with photos: SOS in Burbank by Next Move

On Saturday, minutemen came to Burbank from everywhere in Southern California, even from other states, in order to save face following a humiliating defeat across the country in their “National Day of Protest” against Mexicans 2 weeks ago. In a nationwide effort the minutemen forces managed to pull together only 700 people for those demonstrations - and were outnumbered 10 to 1 wherever they turned.

Today in Burbank, they managed to import 65 people (a little less than 10% of their national potential) and found themselves out -numbered yet again, with 100 counter protestors surrounding them. . . .

Full report: Save Our Face – SOS, Fascistic Immigration Laws + the “Thrill” of Defeat by Tecpatl

BURBANK, January 21, 2006--Minuteman Don Silva, also of Save Our State, called the showdown. He named the site--Burbank's new Home Depot. He brought in the TV crews, and radio and newspaper reporters. He pleaded with every minuteman in southern California to attend. The neo-Nazi group VDARE posted a notice of the event on their blog. Silva managed to raise sixty-five people. He lost his "battle at the black gate of Mordor," as he overdramatically called the protest, when ninety hastily assembled and loosely organized Los Angeles-area counterprotestors brought the minutemen's invasion of Burbank to a standstill.

The protestors took the northeast and southeast corners of the Home Depot entrance. The minutemen and Save Our State clustered on the southwest corner. The police claimed the northwest corner for their staging ground. The Burbank day laborers, who usually number upward of twenty-five, reportedly started the day with only fourteen on hand. The rest had scattered to the streets of Burbank to find work. . . .

Full report with photos: Racists Go Home by Leslie