Protesters decry racism in Martinez
Demonstrators’ response to flyers, vandalism, a wielded gun focuses on positive progress
MARTINEZ >> Hundreds of people turned out in this East Bay town Sunday afternoon, peacefully rallying to oppose white supremacy and support the Black Lives Matter movement after several disturbing local incidents put Martinez in a national spotlight.
The protest was called amid a tense environment: As the nation has experienced weeks of demonstrations against racism and police violence, this community has seen racist flyers spread in the downtown area, vandalism of a permitted mural with the BLM message, a racist response painted elsewhere, a gun allegedly wielded at a crowd,
and a national television host attacking local leaders for their response.
But Sunday afternoon, little of the discord that prompted a warning from the town’s police chief was visible. As crowds converged on the downtown area, merchants boarded up windows on storefronts, but threats that white supremacists might try to take over the scene seemed empty.
Just before protesters began listening to short speeches, a man in the crowd yelled out “all lives matter,” prompting some verbal conflict with those around him, but he left the scene a short time later.
“This isn’t just in Martinez,” said Xochitl Johnson of Revolution Club. “This is white supremacy across
the country being goaded on by the White House. For them it’s open season on us,” Johnson said, referring to last month’s discovery of flyers.
When asked about a counter-protester’s statement about demonstrators bringing “war” to Martinez, Johnson replied: “That’s the irony, is that it’s OK when the war is on us. Then, when people stand up, we get preyed on.”
Sandy Sanchez, 53, of San Jose traveled from the South Bay to join the rally Sunday. For her, the cause is more personal: Her nephew, Anthony Nuñez, was shot and killed by San Jose police in 2016 as he experienced a suicidal breakdown in front of his home.
Last year, a federal jury found that police had used excessive force in the killing, awarding $2.6 million to Sanchez, who had raised Nuñez from childhood.
“Don’t wait until they kill someone in your house to change something,” Sanchez said. “Mental illness should not be a reason to come to my house and kill my kid. Please continue to do this.
“The more of us there are, the louder we are. We demand justice and we will have it.”
Decked out in a brown beret and green Army pants, Dee Harris, 35, of Hayward — a member of the pro-Chicano organization Brown Berets — said the group was in Martinez to protest the white supremacy that they believe exists all over the country, and “Martinez is just one part of it.”
“It’s a fight, it’s always been a fight,” Sanchez said. “This town has a history that includes the KKK. … We’re here to say no more. I joined the Brown Berets to make history.”
Clarence Murray, 59, of
Martinez walked with his friend as marchers headed toward the Martinez marina for a speech. He said he wasn’t surprised about the racial environment that happened in the city over the past two weeks, noting that there are good people in the town, but that racial progress has gotten both better and worse in his time.
A five-decade town resident — who said he had been homeless for about 20 of those 50 years — Murray said he was excited to see so many people gather against racism and was pleasantly surprised to see so many white allies. Still, he added, while acts of overt racism are fewer, these days he sees more instances of prejudice against Black people like himself.
The current run of incidents in the town appeared to begin with white supremacist flyers found strewn near the city’s downtown
on the night of June 27.
Residents obtained a permit and painted a Black Lives Matter mural July 4 outside a downtown courthouse, but about an hour after its completion, a white man and woman were seen on video trying to cover it with black paint. The mural was quickly restored, but a man was arrested after allegedly brandishing a gun while confronting supporters the next day.
On July 7, police found an unpermitted painting of the words “white lives matter” on a different city street. City public works crews responded and removed the painting.
Authorities arrested and charged David Nelson, 53, and Nicole Anderson, 42, in the July 4 defacement; days later, the pair appeared on Fox News, where commentator Tucker Carlson praised their actions and derided local leaders for their arrest, calling the city-permitted mural “graffiti.”
On Sunday, demonstrators were focused on fighting white supremacy and opposing police violence.
Sevgi Fernandez, 47, of Oakland helped organize the rally through her organization, Together We Stand. Fernandez spoke of her father, John, a Black Panther who fought for Black rights 50 years ago, and said she stands up to fight for justice every chance she gets.
“I’m tired,” Fernandez said, of the killing, the torture and the pain of everyone who has lost a loved one to police violence. “Most of all, I’m tired of all the mothers I have to hold because their sons are gone. I’ve seen so much horrific stuff. But I make myself look and I make myself fight for what’s necessary.
“We have to say there’s no place for white supremacy here.”