Santa Barbara News-Press, April 18, 2006
SCOTT STEEPLETON, NEWS-PRESS SENIOR WRITER
[Photo caption:
Joel Gomez holds the remains of eggs that student protesters pelted against his home as his wife Eloise Gomez shows a rock that pierced their front screen door. At left, Santa Barbara Mayor Marty Blum addresses a crowd of Santa Barbara High School students rallying in support of illegal immigrants.]
A peaceful school-sanctioned protest march in support of illegal immigrants turned ugly Monday when students from Santa Barbara High pelted the home of an elderly couple with rocks and eggs.
The incident took place at the home of Joel and Eloise Gomez on East Canon Perdido Street after the couple exchanged words with some of the 300 or so students making their way back to campus, about one block away.
Off-campus student protests against a proposed law that would make felons out of illegal immigrants have taken place across Santa Barbara in recent weeks. But this one, conducted with police escort and with school officials close by, is the first that has involved any report of violence.
Mrs. Gomez, 70, said she and her 74-year-old husband heard the marchers approach, chanting "S?, se puede" (Yes, we can) and other slogans.
"We were out there and there they come with their shouting and shaking their fists," she said. "We were just saying stay in school, learn English, you know? They didn't like this."
Mr. Gomez said he saw two girls pick up rocks and throw them at the house. One ripped through the screen and hit the front door, he said.
"I banged on the window and shook my fist," he said. "I grabbed my camera, even though I knew I didn't have any film in it, and yelled, 'I got your picture.' "
Fifteen minutes later, said Mrs. Gomez, another group of girls returned.
"They all lined up there and at the command of one of the girls they threw eggs all of a sudden," she said. "They did their damage and ran like rats."
In all, nine eggs were lobbed at the home.
"I was going to go out there," said Mrs. Gomez. "I would have been pelted by eggs. Something told me just stay in."
SCOTT STEEPLETON, NEWS-PRESS SENIOR WRITER
[Photo caption:
Joel Gomez holds the remains of eggs that student protesters pelted against his home as his wife Eloise Gomez shows a rock that pierced their front screen door. At left, Santa Barbara Mayor Marty Blum addresses a crowd of Santa Barbara High School students rallying in support of illegal immigrants.]
A peaceful school-sanctioned protest march in support of illegal immigrants turned ugly Monday when students from Santa Barbara High pelted the home of an elderly couple with rocks and eggs.
The incident took place at the home of Joel and Eloise Gomez on East Canon Perdido Street after the couple exchanged words with some of the 300 or so students making their way back to campus, about one block away.
Off-campus student protests against a proposed law that would make felons out of illegal immigrants have taken place across Santa Barbara in recent weeks. But this one, conducted with police escort and with school officials close by, is the first that has involved any report of violence.
Mrs. Gomez, 70, said she and her 74-year-old husband heard the marchers approach, chanting "S?, se puede" (Yes, we can) and other slogans.
"We were out there and there they come with their shouting and shaking their fists," she said. "We were just saying stay in school, learn English, you know? They didn't like this."
Mr. Gomez said he saw two girls pick up rocks and throw them at the house. One ripped through the screen and hit the front door, he said.
"I banged on the window and shook my fist," he said. "I grabbed my camera, even though I knew I didn't have any film in it, and yelled, 'I got your picture.' "
Fifteen minutes later, said Mrs. Gomez, another group of girls returned.
"They all lined up there and at the command of one of the girls they threw eggs all of a sudden," she said. "They did their damage and ran like rats."
In all, nine eggs were lobbed at the home.
"I was going to go out there," said Mrs. Gomez. "I would have been pelted by eggs. Something told me just stay in."