Protests of immigration plan continue

Man arrested at council meeting calls for three city leaders to resign. Mayor rejects dissent, defends council decision.The man Costa Mesa police arrested at a City Council meeting called on Thursday for the resignation of three council members and demanded that any charges against him be dropped.

Coyotl Tezcalipoca, 25, of Costa Mesa, helped organize two protests against the City Council’s plan to train police to check the immigration status of people suspected of crimes. Costa Mesa police arrested Tezcalipoca, who police identified as Benito Acosta, after a scuffle with police on Tuesday night, when he didn’t follow orders to stop speaking at the podium.

He was arrested on suspicion of disrupting a public meeting and obstructing a police officer, but Orange County Deputy Dist. Atty. Susan Schroeder said charges have not been filed.

The Tonantzin Collective, a group protesting the city’s immigration enforcement plan, held a news conference Thursday in front of Costa Mesa City Hall that drew about 50 people.

“The mayor and his supporters are enacting policies that divide our city,” Tezcalipoca said.

“These policies, we know this, are aimed to change the demographics of the city. We believe most Costa Mesa residents are against the mayor’s proposal.”

Tezcalipoca asked that the Job Center be reopened and that the immigration proposal be withdrawn, and he called for the resignations of Costa Mesa Mayor Allan Mansoor and Councilmen Eric Bever and Gary Monahan, who voted in favor of the immigration enforcement proposal and closing the Job Center.

Reached earlier Thursday by phone, Mansoor said he could not attend the news conference. He doesn’t believe Tezcalipoca was treated unfairly.

“He has a history of disrupting our meetings,” Mansoor said. “I made it clear from the beginning that disruptions would not be allowed as it interferes with the right of other people to speak and it delays our meetings.”

At the Dec. 6 council meeting, before the council voted on the immigration enforcement plan and during public comment, Tezcalipoca called Mansoor “a ... [expletive] racist pig” and was escorted out of the meeting by police.

Mansoor said he doesn’t believe Tezcalipoca represents a significant portion of the community.

“I’m getting so much support from so many people that believe we’re doing the right thing,” Mansoor said. “We’re not talking about sweeps, we’re talking about people who are committing major crimes.”

Asked whether he will try to reach out to those in the community who are concerned with the proposal, Mansoor said, “How can they not be on board with taking a dangerous criminal off the street? What is that rationale? I haven’t seen that presented.”

Costa Mesa Police Chief John Hensley, however, told a TV reporter he will try to assuage community concerns about the plan.

“I’m going to make it my business to get out and about to explain that we’re not going to be stopping people because of their skin color,” he said.

“We’re not going to trample on people’s rights in order to make this thing happen.”

After Tuesday’s heated council meeting, Thursday’s rally was peaceful. One protester said the council can expect more demonstrations about the immigration proposal.

“As far as I know, we will be back at the council meetings until this decision is overturned,” said Rosalinda Guillen of Santa Ana.

QUESTION

Are protests likely to have an effect on council decisions? Call our Readers Hotline at (714) 966-4664 or send e-mail to [email protected]. Please spell your name and tell us your hometown and phone numbers for verification purposes only.20060106isno1pncMARK DUSTIN / DAILY PILOT(LA)Surrounded by supporters at a news conference Thursday, Coyotl Tezcalipoca, center, speaks out against the Costa Mesa City Council’s decision to train city police officers to enforce immigration laws. 20060106isno29ncMARK DUSTIN / DAILY PILOT(LA)Police Chief John Hensley vowed to help calm worries about the immigration plan.