‘Patriots for Police’ rally at Huntington Beach Pier demonstrations
As about 100 people gathered near the Huntington Beach pier to protest police brutality Saturday, June 20, another group assembled across the street to show their support for law enforcement officers.
The group of about 50 people, some carrying signs supporting the Huntington Beach Police Department, gathered in front of Jack’s Surfboard Shop for a “Patriots for Police” rally, which started about an hour after others had gathered for a Black Lives Matter protest.
“We’re backing the blue,” Nicole Monteilh Brown, 50, of Costa Mesa said. “The people they’re against are the very people who are protecting them.”
Those in support of law enforcement said they understood what happened to George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 25 was wrong. But making a blanket statement about all officers according to the actions of one was not right, they said.
“There’s a bad apple everywhere,” Brown said. “You just have to weed out the bad. The police want to build relations, not division.”
Black Lives Matter protesters and other activists have said what happened to Floyd stems from systematic racism within police departments that allows bad officers to thrive and escape punishment.
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As they have for the past several weekends, Black Lives Matter protesters stood in front of the pier, chanting and holding signs while vehicles sped by on Pacific Coast Highway honking in support.
Some of the car horns were sounded in support of officers, as well, though a few car passengers heckled the pro-law enforcement group as they passed.
Still, law enforcement supporters carried American flags, along with a few flags supporting President Donald Trump. Others carried signs saying “Defend the police,” and “Pro peace, pro police.”
“Officers being brushed as anti-American is wrong,” said Rick Brown, 56, of Huntington Beach. “Everyone agrees that what happened in Minnesota is horrible, but that’s not every cop.
“If you go to a bad dentist, you’re not going to demand that all dentists are fired,” he said.
While there were small clashes between both sides during Saturday’s rallies, some conversations were struck, as well.
Huntington Beach police officers stood on both sides of Pacific Coast Highway and, on a few occasions, had to get between protesters and police supporters to restore order.