San Diego protests Arizona Diamondbacks

A protest took place Aug. 25 at the new Petco Park in San Diego when the Padres played the Arizona Diamondbacks. The protest opposed SB1070 and supported the boycotting of Arizona. It was also to tell Major League Baseball to move the 2011 All-Star game out of Arizona. There are plans to protest at Petco Park until the game is moved to another state.

Activist being arrested for protesting attacks on immigrants, at Petco Park, on Aug. 25.

The anti-racist protest had many more people than the counter protest made up of Minutemen and Tea Party members, including Barbara Coe, co-writer of the failed anti-immigrant California Prop 187 and founder of the so-called California Coalition for Immigration Reform. This group is considered a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Inside the game there were a few strategically placed protesters, who decided to take to the field with the Mexican flag. They were arrested once security finally caught them. One of these courageous protesters was Rebecca Starr, who gave this writer the following statement:

“I had been feeling like I wasn’t contributing enough to the struggle for immigrant rights. I wanted to do something more. I called an activist friend in Tijuana, Mexico, who told me about the ball game coming up against the Arizona Diamondbacks, and how activists had done some pretty successful direct actions around the country, particularly by disrupting games.

“The call is to strangle Arizona into being humane toward one of the primary sources of their income, migrant labor. I felt as though migrant workers were being blamed while I feel so grateful for their contributions to our society. Part of the boycott of Arizona at this point involves trying to get the All-Star game moved out of that state. There’s no way all that money should be flowing into a state whose legislators are mandating hate, racial profiling, and domestic terrorism by way of SB1070.

“So several of us went to the game, sat in the front row, and when the second batter of the third inning came up, we made a dash for it! Two of us got onto the field. I made it out toward second base, waving a Mexican flag and wearing a Mexican flag shirt, on the back of which I’d written, ‘THANK A MIGRANT WORKER.’

“I was taken down pretty quickly, handcuffed, and eventually booked. I spent the night in detention and received $1,000 bail. Other activists paid the 10 percent of it needed, and I went home. I get arraigned on Oct. 7.

“I encourage anyone interested in this issue to consider similar direct actions whenever and wherever the Diamondbacks are playing!”