SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Hundreds of people are protesting in South Park Saturday in response to the Buona Forchetta ICE raid, but it's not just about immigration. It's about women's rights, Palestinian rights, and other minority rights in the area and in the country.
For some, frustration following last week's ICE raid only added fuel to a bigger fire.
"I see this as a much larger battle for peoples' democratic rights," said organizer Emily von Gerichten.
Alessandra Moctezuma is a protester. She's a South Park resident who's been in San Diego for 25 years. An immigrant herself, she said she's now fighting for others' rights.
"I think immigrants are honorable and hardworking and I feel that it's important for me now that I have the privilege of being a citizen to make sure they are supported, too," said Moctezuma.
ABC 10News previously reported that a now unsealed search warrant claims 19 active employees at Buona Forchetta used fake green cards to work there. It also alleges employment and labor violations by the restaurant's owner.
That's what led to the immigration enforcement operation on May 30th.
Community organizers like von Gerichten helped put the protest together.
She's with the party for socialism and liberation.
"We want the city and county of San Diego to stop allowing ICE into the courthouses," said von Gerichten. "To stop allowing them into our neighborhoods and we need the county and city officials to stand up for the people."
Von Gerichten said she's be continuing to organize these marches to push back.
"We will be in the streets as long as these ICE raids continue," said von Gerichten. "We'll be in the streets to say, we don't believe that's right. We don't believe that's how our immigrant neighbors should be treated."
For Moctezuma, she said it's personal, and she's hoping marches like these will stir up conversation and action.
"Instead of building walls and deporting people or arresting people, nobody's speaking about a path to legalization and I think it's time that we change," said Moctezuma.
