Tag / Huntington Beach

by The Orange County Reporter

Editorial: Downtown Santa Ana Demonstration Turns Violent Amid Police Crackdown

Orange County Sheriff Department

What started out as a calm protest in Downtown Santa Ana quickly descended into disorder and violence as various law enforcement agencies —including the Santa Ana Police Department, Huntington Beach, Anaheim, Irvine, Seal Beach, La Palma, Orange County Sheriff’s Department (OCSD), even the California National Guard— descended on the demonstration to forcefully disperse the crowd.

Witnesses say that police in riot gear advanced fiercely aided by armored vehicles and monitoring drones. What should’ve First Amendment rights exercise turned into a conflict involving tear gas, rubber bullets, and batons against demonstrators. Police sirens and shouting dispersal commands drowned out justice chants.

Orange County Sheriff Department

Why agencies from cities miles away—including Huntington Beach and Seal Beach—were called in to intervene in a Santa Ana protest? Why was the National Guard sent in a civilian environment and with what mandate?

The scene reflected a disturbing national trend: the swift militarization of local law enforcement and the organized suppression of public opposition. It begs immediate concerns about civil liberties, jurisdictional overreach, and the decline of local trust when peaceful protesters are treated as enemy combatant and police from different jurisdictions act in harmony without transparency or local accountability.

Santa Ana Police Department

This is not public safety.” This is a display of power;it sets a hazardous precedent.”

City and county level elected officials have to account for this increase. Mayor Valerie Amezcua and the Santa Ana City Council have to account for their involvement—or lack of influence—regarding what happened. People ought to know why if they approved this.Who else would?

Demonstrators put up a barrier

The citizens of Santa Ana are entitled to object, seek justice, and hold those in authority responsible. Official news releases or cleaned reports should not cover the events of this day. The community is watching; history will remember.

by The Orange County Reporter

Editorial: Huntington Beach’s Enduring Racism—From Violence Against Immigrants to MAGA Symbolism

Huntington Beach CA, Endorsing MAGA by Putting a Plaque in The Huntington Beach Main Library.

 

Huntington Beach, California, has consistently held a reputation as a center for reactionary politics and racially charged events. From aggressive confrontations aimed at immigrants to rallies supporting white nationalism, the city has consistently attracted attention for all the inappropriate reasons. Now, in yet another instance of its ingrained racial challenges, the Huntington Beach City Council has decided to endorse a MAGA-themed plaque—a decision that further solidifies the city’s standing as a bastion for far-right beliefs.

 

At the heart of the dispute is City Councilwoman and Finance Commissioner Gracey Van Der Mark, who is currently facing Negative Backlash for racist remarks she posted online. In a YouTube video, Van Der Mark described Black individuals as “colored people,” a term historically linked with segregation from the Jim Crow era and racial discrimination. Although her supporters may attempt to minimize her statements, her track record indicates a pattern of prejudice rather than a singular error.

 

Van Der Mark is familiar with controversy. She has previously been associated with extremist opinions, including her participation in events tied to white nationalist organizations. Her ascent in Huntington Beach politics symbolizes the city’s growing alignment with far-right ideologies, where racist language and exclusionary measures are normalized instead of denounced.

 

The endorsement of the MAGA plaque is more than just symbolic—it represents a declaration of intent. It indicates that Huntington Beach’s leadership favors culture war issues over inclusivity and progress. For numerous immigrants, people of color, and marginalized groups who reside in the city, it serves as another reminder that they are unwelcome.

 

Huntington Beach faces a decision: continue along the route of division and racial hostility, or take significant measures toward confronting its legacy of exclusion and discrimination. The initial action should involve holding individuals like Van Der Mark accountable, rejecting racially insensitive symbolism, and committing to policies that celebrate diversity rather than demonize it. Until that occurs, Huntington Beach will persist as what it has long been—a city that clings to a history of racial bitterness, rather than aiming for a future of equality.

by The Orange County Reporter

Editorial: El racismo persistente en Huntington Beach: desde la violencia contra los inmigrantes hasta el simbolismo MAGA

Huntington Beach, CA: Apoyando a MAGA colocando una placa en la biblioteca principal de Huntington Beach.

 

Huntington Beach, California, siempre ha tenido la reputación de ser un centro de política reaccionaria y eventos con carga racial. Desde enfrentamientos agresivos dirigidos a los inmigrantes hasta manifestaciones en apoyo del nacionalismo blanco, la ciudad ha atraído constantemente la atención por todas las razones inapropiadas. Ahora, en otro ejemplo más de sus desafíos raciales arraigados, el Ayuntamiento de Huntington Beach ha decidido respaldar una placa con la temática MAGA, una decisión que solidifica aún más la posición de la ciudad como bastión de las creencias de extrema derecha.

 

En el centro de la disputa está la concejal y comisionada de finanzas Gracey Van Der Mark, quien actualmente enfrenta Reacciónes Negativas por comentarios racistas que publicó en línea. En un video de YouTube, Van Der Mark describió a las personas negras como “gente de color”, un término históricamente vinculado con la segregación de la era de Jim Crow y la discriminación racial. Aunque sus partidarios pueden intentar minimizar sus declaraciones, su historial indica un patrón de prejuicio en lugar de un error singular.

 

 Van Der Mark está familiarizada con la controversia. Anteriormente se la ha asociado con opiniones extremistas, incluida su participación en eventos vinculados a organizaciones nacionalistas blancas. Su ascenso en la política de Huntington Beach simboliza la creciente alineación de la ciudad con ideologías de extrema derecha, donde el lenguaje racista y las medidas excluyentes se normalizan en lugar de denunciarse.

 

El respaldo a la placa MAGA es más que un símbolo: representa una declaración de intenciones. Indica que el liderazgo de Huntington Beach favorece las cuestiones de guerra cultural por sobre la inclusión y el progreso. Para numerosos inmigrantes, personas de color y grupos marginados que residen en la ciudad, sirve como otro recordatorio de que no son bienvenidos.

 

Huntington Beach se enfrenta a una decisión: continuar por el camino de la división y la hostilidad racial, o tomar medidas significativas para enfrentar su legado de exclusión y discriminación. La acción inicial debe incluir responsabilizar a individuos como Van Der Mark, rechazar el simbolismo racialmente insensible y comprometerse con políticas que celebren la diversidad en lugar de demonizarla.  Hasta que eso ocurra, Huntington Beach seguirá siendo lo que ha sido durante mucho tiempo: una ciudad que se aferra a una historia de amargura racial, en lugar de aspirar a un futuro de igualdad.