Calls for Santa Clarita councilman to resign,…
Calls for Santa Clarita councilman to resign, Serra statue covered in tarps and chains mark 5th weekend of protests
Protestors at the corner of McBean and Valencia Blvd's in Santa Clarita call from the resignation of councilman Bob Kellar Friday, June 26, 2020. The protesters call for the resignation of councilman #BobKellar, alleging he had made racists comments in the past. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
By Eric Licas | elicas@scng.com, David Crane | dcrane@scng.com, Keith Birmingham | wbirmingham@scng.com and Hayley Munguia | hmunguia@scng.com | Orange County Register
PUBLISHED: June 27, 2020 at 2:33 p.m. | UPDATED: June 27, 2020 at 7:28 p.m.
Calls for a Santa Clarita councilman to resign. A Junípero Serra statue shrouded and chained by demonstrators. And dance circles in North Hollywood Park.
Those were just a few of the actions taken by protesters throughout Los Angeles County on Friday, June 26, and Saturday, June 27, marking the fifth straight weekend of demonstrations against racial injustice and police brutality.
Kelvin Driscoll, a candidate for Santa Clarita city council, speaks at a protest near the Santa Clarita sheriff department Friday, June 26, 2020. The protest was held to call for the resignation of councilman #BobKellar, alleging he had made racists comments in the past. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Dr. Aakash Ahuja, a candidate for Santa Clarita city council, speaks at a protest near the Santa Clarita sheriff department Friday, June 26, 2020. The protest was held to call for the resignation of councilman #BobKellar, alleging he had made racists comments in the past. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Chris Werthe, a candidate for Santa Clarita city council, speaks at a protest near the Santa Clarita sheriff department Friday, June 26, 2020. The protest was held to call for the resignation of councilman #BobKellar, alleging he had made racists comments in the past. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Cassidy Bensko of Santa Clarita, speaks at a protest near the Santa Clarita sheriff department Friday, June 26, 2020. The protest was held to call for the resignation of councilman #BobKellar, alleging he had made racists comments in the past. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Sedastian Cezaren and other protesters at the corner of McBean and Valencia Blvds in Santa Clarita call from the resignation of councilman Bob Kellar Friday, June 26, 2020. The protesters call for the resignation of councilman #BobKellar, alleging he had made racists comments in the past. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
LaRazaUnida protestors keep a man out of the park as they want the removal of the Fray Junípero Serra Statue in Brand Park Memory Garden across from the San Fernando Mission in San Fernando on Saturday, June 28, 2020. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
A man prays next to the Junípero Serra Statue against LaRazaUnida as they want the removal of the statue in Brand Park Memory Garden across from the San Fernando Mission in San Fernando on Saturday, June 28, 2020. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
LaRazaUnida protests as they want the removal of the Fray Junípero Serra Statue in Brand Park Memory Garden across from the San Fernando Mission in San Fernando on Saturday, June 28, 2020. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
LaRazaUnida cover the Fray Junípero Serra Statue in protest at the Brand Park Memory Garden across from the San Fernando Mission in San Fernando on Saturday, June 28, 2020. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
LaRazaUnida protestors, right, argue with another group in front of the Fray Junípero Serra Statue in Brand Park Memory Garden across from the San Fernando Mission in San Fernando on Saturday, June 28, 2020. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
LaRazaUnida marches in protest from Rudy Ortega Park to the Fray Junípero Serra Statue in Brand Park Memory Garden across from the San Fernando Mission in San Fernando on Saturday, June 28, 2020. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
LaRazaUnida protestors, left, argue with another group in front of the Fray Junípero Serra Statue in Brand Park Memory Garden across from the San Fernando Mission in San Fernando on Saturday, June 28, 2020. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
LAPD officers look on as the LaRazaUnida protests as they want the removal of the Fray Junípero Serra Statue in Brand Park Memory Garden across from the San Fernando Mission in San Fernando on Saturday, June 28, 2020. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
A man stands next to the statue against those from LaRazaUnida as they protest the Fray Junípero Serra Statue in Brand Park Memory Garden across from the San Fernando Mission in San Fernando on Saturday, June 28, 2020. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
A man holding a rosary spoke out during a demonstration held Saturday, June 27, across the street from the San Fernando Mission in Mission Hills. The gathering was held in support of the Tatiavam Tribe, which has called for the removal of a statue of Junipero Serra, a Spanish missionary credited with founding nine Missions and helping to bring forced labor to the West Coast. (Eric Licas, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Demonstrators wrap a disposable tablecloth around a statue of Junipero Serra standing across the street from the San Fernando Mission Saturday, June 27 in Mission Hills, ahead of a ceremony held in support of the Tatiavam Tribe, which has called for the removal of the sculpture. (Eric Licas, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
A group of Native/Indigenous demonstrators gathered in support of the Tataviam Tribe burn sage ahead of a ceremony across the street from San Fernando Mission, where a statue of Junipero Serra stands Saturday, June 27. The Tribe has called for the removal of the statue. (Eric Licas, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
A sign left at the feet of a statue of Junipero Serra Saturday, June 27 held in support of the Tataviam Tribe. They say the sculpture memorializes the "genocide" of their ancestors, and have called for its removal. (Eric Licas Los, Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Demonstrators gathered in Mission Hills in support of the Tataviam Tribe and calling for the removal of a statue of Junipero Serra standing across the street from the San Fernando Mission engage in conversation with local residents who want the sculpture to remain on Saturday, June 27. (Eric Licas Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Demonstrators place a sign that reads "Father of Genocide" onto a statue of Junipero Serra standing across the street from the San Fernando Mission Saturday, June 27 in Mission Hills. They were gathered in support of the Tatiavam Tribe, which has called for the removal of the sculpture. (Eric Licas, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Dancing, singers and poetry during the Black Joy Rally — Dance, heal, celebration of life at North Hollywood Park in North Hollywood on Saturday, June 28, 2020. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Singer Ru performs during the Black Joy Rally — Dance, heal, celebration of life at North Hollywood Park in North Hollywood on Saturday, June 28, 2020. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Daisha Graf wearing a mask due to the Coronavirus Pandemic with All Black Lives Matter on it during the Black Joy Rally — Dance, heal, celebration of life at North Hollywood Park in North Hollywood on Saturday, June 28, 2020. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
The protests began the week of Memorial Day, when George Floyd, a Black man in Minnesota, died after a white police officer kneeled on his neck for several minutes.
The most recent demonstrations in LA County kicked off Friday afternoon, when about 75 people marched to the Sheriff's Department's Santa Clarita Station, where they demanded the resignation of City Councilman Bob Kellar, who in 2010 called himself a "proud racist" at a rally against illegal immigration.
Kellar stood by his remarks at the time, saying they reflected his frustration with illegal immigration, but weren't intended to express animosity against nonwhites.
"It doesn't mean I'm going to saddle up the horses at midnight," he said then.
Kellar has announced his plans to retire and will not run for re-election this year, but protesters on Friday said he should resign before the November election.
"The young people are coming out here in Santa Clarita," protester Sedastian Cezaren said, "and saying we're not tolerating racism and bigotry, and we're call out our community and the people who are in power."
Protesters in #SantaClarita CA call for the resignation of councilman #BobKellar over #racist comments he has made. #BLM #Valencia pic.twitter.com/0Imble9r8d
— David Crane (@vidcrane) June 26, 2020
On Saturday, about 50 people protested at the Mission San Fernando Rey de España in Mission Hills, where demonstrators covered a statue of Junípero Serra — an 18th century Spanish priest who founded several missions throughout modern-day California — with plastic tarps and chains around its neck. On its face, a sign was taped calling Serra the "Father of Genocide."
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Speakers at the event called Serra an invader of indigenous land and likened the mission to a "concentration camp."
"We felt the necessity to come out here today," said Cozkacuauhtli Huitzilzenteotl, 48, of Pacoima. "We saw the urgency. This invader here before us — Junípero Serra — the first mission was in 1769, and they built them all the way until 1823, and that's genocide.
"Before this was the U.S., it was Mexico. Before it was Mexico, it was indigenous lands."
But a handful of people also showed up to defend Serra and the mission.
"I know Father Junípero Serra has been slighted by the Native/indigenous that he was a bad man," said Johnny Romero, 54, of San Fernando. "I think that's completely revisionist history.
"They highlight things, and they exaggerate things, and they make him out to be 10 times worse than he actually was," Romero added. "He (did) a lot of good things."
@ladailynews pic.twitter.com/z2F7jvKkyJ
— Eric Anthony Licas (@EricLicas) June 27, 2020
Dozens of other demonstrations unfolded Saturday, including a roller-skating protest in Encino and a Black joy rally and dance in North Hollywood.
Dancing, singers and poetry during the Black Joy Rally — Dance, heal, celebration of life at North Hollywood Park. #protest #coronavirus #COVID19 #pandemic #BlackLivesMattters #BlackLivesMattters #northhollywood #losangeles #california #photography #blackjoyrally pic.twitter.com/DwWU3DlL8J
— Keith Birmingham (@photowkb) June 27, 2020
At the Black joy rally, the tone was markedly different from that of other demonstrations. Attendees danced and clapped to upbeat music.
Dancing at the Black Joy Rally at North Hollywood Park. #protest #BlackLivesMatter #blackjoyrally #coronavirus #pandemic #leica #photography pic.twitter.com/O9p4NcQYOh
"There's a lot of sadness, a lot of heaviness in our lives, and we felt we needed to uplift our people in the best way we know how, which is through dance and music and the arts," Daisha Graf, one of the organizers, said. "So we're out here to heal and fill our cups so we can keep pushing forward.
"It's really exciting to see people coming together," she added, "in a way I've never seen before."
Eric Licas | Reporter
Eric is based out of the Orange County Register and reports on crime and public safety for the Southern California News Group. He was born in the Philippines, was raised in the San Fernando Valley and has previously written about immigration, poverty and entertainment for Inquirer.net and The Asian Journal. He enjoys photographing concerts and sporting events or jamming on one of his personally customized guitars in his free time. His inspirations include Kurt Vonnegut, Tom Wolfe, Ronnie James Dio and Randy ""The Macho Man"" Savage.
elicas@scng.com
Follow Eric Licas	@EricLicas
David Crane | Photojournalist
David Crane is a NPPA photographer of the year with more than 30 years experience covering all types, news, sports, feature and lifestyle events and personalities. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Brooks Institute of Photography, Brooks scholarship awardee. In the past he has worked at The Emporia Gazette in Emporia Kansas, Santa Barbara News Press in Santa Barbara, CA, Oxnard Press-Courier in Oxnard, CA and Ventura Star in Ventura, CA. He has worked at the Los Angeles Daily News, now part of the Southern California News Group since 1989.
dcrane@scng.com
Follow David Crane	@vidcrane
Keith Birmingham | photographer
Keith Birmingham is a Los Angeles-based photographer specializing in sports, editorial and portrait photography. He has been a staff photographer for 24 years with the Los Angeles Newspaper Group including the Pasadena Star-News, San Gabriel Valley Tribune, Whittier Daily News and Los Angeles Daily News. His work has appeared in Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Times, the New York Times, Nashville Tennessean, GQ, Life Magazine, Sporting News, Los Angeles Dodgers Magazine, National Sports Daily, along with wire services Associated Press and United Press International, and the books Photojournalism: The Professionals' Approach by Kenneth Kobre, and Out of the Blue by Joe Haakenson, the story of the 2002 World Series Champion Anaheim Angels. An award winning photographer, including awards from National Press Photographers Association, Pictures of the Year International, Press Photographers Association of Greater Los Angeles, California Press Photographers Association, he has also won Picture of the Year from SportsShooter.com and been nominated by his paper for three Pulitzer Prize awards. Keith has covered 20 Rose Bowl games, four Men's Basketball Final Fours , two Women's Basketball Final Fours, Three Major League Baseball World Series, the Super Bowl, six NBA Finals, two Women's World Cups, one Men's World Cup and many other sporting events throughout the United States. He has also covered Hurricane Katrina and many major California wildfires.
wbirmingham@scng.com
Hayley Munguia | Reporter
Hayley received her bachelor's degree in New Media Journalism from New York University in 2015 and worked as a data reporter and social media editor for the politics and sports website FiveThirtyEight before working at the Southern California News Group. She grew up in Austin, Texas.
hmunguia@scng.com
Follow Hayley Munguia	@hemdash
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