Updated June 11, 2025: A peaceful protest organized by the Orange County Rapid Response Network in Santa Ana on June 9, 2025, aimed to uphold First Amendment rights and address concerns about the detention of immigrants. The event sought to remind attendees of their rights against actions by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and to support the immigrant community.
Speakers at the protest included Council Member Jesse Lopez, who highlighted the importance of staying focused on the cause, and Supervisor Vince Sarmiento, who urged participants to remain safe and avoid provocations. Some attendees even contacted Congressman Lou Correa, who expressed a willingness to return from Washington D.C. to check on detainees’ welfare.
For several hours, demonstrators remained on sidewalks, promoting safety and mutual protection. However, around 5 pm, the situation changed when Council Member Jonathan Hernandez arrived.
Hernandez skillfully harnessed the crowd’s energy, shifting the focus from solidarity with immigrants to a call for defunding the police and the state. This pivot particularly resonated with those newcomers to the protest who were already filled with passion and anger. Observers noted that this redirection appeared to capitalize on the crowd’s frustrations, leading to heightened emotions and escalating rhetoric.
As Hernandez urged the crowd to descend the steps and amplify their voices, the atmosphere transformed. What began as a peaceful demonstration quickly became more intense and personal. Many participants felt that this dramatic shift in messaging contributed to a loss of control, diverting the protest from its original purpose. The atmosphere grew increasingly charged, raising concerns among attendees about the potential consequences of such a turn in the narrative.
As tensions rose, some protesters threw water bottles at the police, leading to a swift response from law enforcement, including flashbangs and bean bag rounds. This reaction injured some attendees and transformed the peaceful protest into a dangerous situation.
Afterwards, several individuals confronted Hernandez, expressing frustration over his actions. While he has personal issues with law enforcement, many felt the focus should remain on protecting immigrant rights.
The abrupt shift from a peaceful gathering to chaos left many participants disheartened. “It’s heartbreaking to see how quickly something peaceful can be disrupted,” one attendee remarked. While some moved to a nearby park, the initial message of solidarity and justice was lost amid the turmoil.
Also read excellent report on this protest by VoiceofOC
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Categories: Local Government, Local News
I don’t get it, what did Hernandez say to get the crowd riled up?
So let me get this straight, you now are publishing articles by anonymous contributors when your whole deal for a year or more has been no anonymous comments?
Honestly, the jokes around here just write themselves.
Editor, Saskia Kennedy: We protect sources when they feel there may be retaliation against them.
Then please explain your position on why the public is not allowed to do the same for the same reason?
Editor Saskia Kennedy: By the “public” do you mean your comments on this forum? Or do you mean in an article?
According to the Supreme Court, “Protections for anonymous speech are vital to democratic discourse. Allowing dissenters to shield their identities frees them to express critical, minority views . . . Anonymity is a shield from the tyranny of the majority. . . . It thus exemplifies the purpose behind the Bill of Rights, and of the First Amendment in particular: to protect unpopular individuals from retaliation . . . at the hand of an intolerant society.”
Anonymity on this website is reserved only for those who speak to someone at the paper and their story can be corroborated. Allowing people to be anonymous commenters spreads misinformation and allows cyberbullying. The Fullerton Observer does not want either. If you would like to participate in that sort of behavior there are blogs and other sites that allow you to vent on the public.
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