About 60 people gathered in downtown Coachella on Saturday morning in protest of former President Donald Trump’s campaign rally that was planned later in the day near the city’s outskirts at Calhoun Ranch.
Matthew Maldonado of Indio said it’s important everyone understands Coachella Valley residents don’t stand for Trump coming to their community.
“We’re a community of immigrants. We’re a community of Mexicans. We’re a community that’s hard-working values. Everything that the Republicans claim to be,“ he said. “So we actually embody that here, so it’s important for all of us to come here and express that to everybody else.”
Protesters held signs reading: “Coachella Valley No Place for Hate” and “Keep CV Great Deport Trump to Moscow” on a grass patch on 722 Vine Avenue near Coachella Veterans Memorial Park.
The speakers at the rally included Coachella Mayor Steven Hernandez, Coachella Mayor Pro Tem Stephanie Virgen, Indio Councilmember Oscar Ortiz, President of the Democratic Women of the Desert Amalia DeAztlan, Coachella Valley Unified School District Boardmember Jocelyn Vargas, CVUSD president Joey Acuña and TODEC Executive Director Luz Gallegos.
Hernandez told The Desert Sun he organized the rally to let people know Democrats stand united. He said they’re ensuring their voice isn’t drowned out during this weekend’s Trump rally.
“We’re not intimidated, right?” he said. “We understand that the (Trump) rally’s here in our backyard, but we have a voice too.“
Protest: ‘We’re not going back’: Valley Democrats denounce Donald Trump rally
A figure of former President Donald Trump was outside the rally facing the street that read “hate,” “racism,” “KKK” and “fascism.”
Alexandra Cauhape, an Indio resident, placed a small pride flag in Trump’s hands. She said she attended the gathering because she supports Vice President Kamala Harris for president and is anti-Trump.
“I just can’t begin to explain how awful he is,” she said. “He would be such a disaster for the United States.”
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Dozens protest in Coachella ahead of Trump’s planned campaign rally
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