Schwarzenegger Protest in Santa Monica!
Tues, June 14
Santa Monica College
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'Racist, sexist, anti-gay,
Schwarzenegger, go away!'
On Tuesday, June 14,
a lively crowd gathered at the corner of 17th and Pico in front of Santa
Monica College to protest Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's anti-people
policies. Schwarzenegger was invited to speak at SMC's commencement
ceremony. More than 350 people attended the demonstration, initiated by
Youth and Student A.N.S.W.E.R., SMC Coalition in Solidarity with Cuba,
Progressive Alliance-SMC, and Global Resistance Network. The action
garnered over 400 endorsers, including Families to Amend California
Three-Strikes (FACTS), Latino Movement, USA and Palisadians for Peace.
 Many
protesters showed up early, with large and colorful signs and banners.
Students and young people were in the majority, with people as young as
12 years-old waving their signs alongside their parents. Community
College students came from Glendale College, Mt. San Antonio College,
East LA College, Mission College, El Camino College and many others.
By 5:00 pm, the demonstration had taken over all four corners of the
intersection with huge banners and placards reading "Money for Jobs and
Education, Not for War and Occupation," "Stop Schwarzenegger" and "Stop
Attacks Against Immigrants." An enthusiastic group of activists and
students kept the crowd fired up with a loud volley of chants.
"He claims he's for education. If so, he should return that money he
borrowed from the education budget now!" said Marcial Guerra, a student
at Santa Monica College and A.N.S.W.E.R. organizer. This sentiment
widely expressed throughout the evening.
 Intermittent
reports on activities inside the stadium where Schwarzenegger was
speaking strengthened the feeling of solidarity with the graduates. The
students in the stadium drowned out Schwarzenegger's speech with chants
of "Arnold Go Home! Arnold Go Home!" Some SMC professors also spoke out
against Schwarzenegger.
The media was present in force, with representatives from print, radio
and television outlets. The protestors amassed outside the stadium held
a rally to close the successful demonstration. Speakers included Marcial
Guerra, Noel from the Global Resistance Network, Jesus of Comité Pro-Democracia
en Mexico, Kenya Gonzalez of Santa Monica High School and John Beacham
of the Party for Socialism and Liberation.
The crowd responded with an extra dose of militancy upon the
announcement of the coming day of anti-war protest on September 24 and
the call to oppose the racist "Save Our State" organization on June 25
in Baldwin Park.
Report by Jennifer Caldwell
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