SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — A group of protesters who barricaded themselves inside Mayor Todd Gloria's office last Friday returned to demonstrate outside San Diego police headquarters on Monday, demanding answers about how the City will protect residents from federal immigration agents.
The demonstration comes amid concerns that anti-ICE protests similar to those happening in Minneapolis could occur in San Diego.
"We want our police department to be very clear about what they're doing when they show up at these ICE raids," said Nancy Francis, one of the six protesters who occupied the mayor's office Friday.
Francis said the group resorted to the barricade after repeated attempts to get answers in person from City officials.
On Friday, the Mayor's office said the protesters were being disruptive, shouting and banging on walls throughout the day. In a statement, Mayor Todd Gloria said his staff had already met with the group previously and pointed to an executive order he signed in July stating San Diego police will not participate in federal immigration enforcement.
The San Diego Police Department also referenced state law as protection for immigrants.
"SB 54 doesn't allow us to share information with ICE. We're not ICE," said Captain Ryan Hallahan of SDPD's Central Division.
SB 54, also known as the California Values Act, was enacted in 2017 and prohibits state and local law enforcement from sharing data or assisting ICE, with exceptions for serious crimes.
"We don't have anything to do with ICE. We're law enforcement. We keep the peace, even if you're federal law enforcement or a civilian. You call for us to keep the peace, we will keep the peace. That's the biggest part we play in it. There's no information that we're giving to ICE," Hallahan said.
While San Diego police reassure that they're not involved with ICE, protester Jean Wong said what they're seeing on the ground tells a different story. Wong shared videos in which she describes personally witnessing SDPD assisting HSI agents.
One example occurred last November at the 47th Street trolley stop in Lincoln Park, where community members gathered to alert people to ICE's presence during what the agency described as a surveillance operation.
ICE called SDPD for crowd control after two of its agents were allegedly assaulted, according to police.
Wong also argued that police presence creates more danger for unarmed community members.
"Either the San Diego Police Department comes and protects people who are unarmed or don't show up," Wong said.
Another protester, who goes by Bbbiggz, said they want police to stay away entirely.
"Personally, I want the police to stay out. My people can handle us. We know how to protect our people," Bbbiggz said.
Several protesters from Friday were charged with trespassing and noise ordinance violations. They have court dates set for March.
The City sent the following statement Monday afternoon:
San Diego’s policy regarding immigration enforcement is unambiguous. The City does not cooperate with federal immigration enforcement operations. This policy follows California law and has been further strengthened by the executive order the Mayor signed last summer, which was crafted with the assistance of trusted immigrants’ right advocates.
Aside from the work we have done with input from immigrants’ rights advocates, senior-level members of the Mayor’s staff met with the individuals who have come to protest at City Hall, and we engaged in good-faith conversations, only to be met with hostility. We have listened carefully and explained, clearly, what the City can and cannot do under the law.
