SAN YSIDRO, Calif. (KGTV) — Demonstrators gathered in the South Bay Saturday to protest against what they called violent behavior by Border Patrol agents against asylum seekers at the U.S.-Mexico border.
The protest caps a two-day demonstration by the group against Border Patrol and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The group is calling for several changes to procedures in place at the border, including how migrants are housed while they apply for asylum, processing of asylum claims at the border, and for an official recognition of a humanitarian crisis at the border.
"In the past few weeks, on two separate occasions CBP officers launched tear gas at peaceful asylum seekers who demanded their internationally-recognized rights," the group writes. "To ensure this does not happen again, we demand the immediate cessation of the use of violence against peaceful refugees and a halt to the ongoing militarization of the border."
Friday, the same group gathered outside the Mexican Consulate in downtown San Diego to protest.
Saturday, several counter demonstrators also showed up to protest.
Authorities were keeping an eye on both groups of demonstrators. No immediate problems were reported.
