No one showed up just to cause trouble. In fact, it's correct to confront racists at every turn, in every situation. The folks from caaelii had no problem with that. And the folks from caaelii also believe that, for most of the day, there was, as galleani reported, “an amazing amount of solidarity from the rank and file of both contingents.”

And the folks from caaelii never denounced the earlier protests, the blocking of the entrances, or the “unarrests.” Whoever claims that is absolutely wrong. The problem we had was with the arrests that happened in the middle of the march, in the middle of a mass of immigrant women, men, and children (arrests that, we acknowledge, may not have been provoked), and, even more upsetting, the assumption that the immigrants we were with (some undocumented, many seniors and children) were somehow expected to provide jail support.

In fact, the people who attended the mass rally (organized by caaelii and arriving in buses from all across the city) had no idea that "advanced actions" were planned, or that these "advanced actions" had actually happened before they got there. Their understanding was that they were going to march and rally and hear a message directed toward the racist minutemen and the local congressman, Kirk. They also wanted to know what they could do about the minutemen and Kirk’s silence on the matter. And there was a specific program and set of speakers to put that message out. That’s what those that are criticizing caaelii do not understand.

And if you, whom are critiquing caaelii today, would have stood with the immigrants at our rally, you would've known that we did mention the actions of the police. And criticized those actions.

And you also would've known that it wasn't you who were being asked if "everything was okay," or if "the police were going to arrest us all." Caaelii's organizers had to answer those questions, not you all. And caaelii's organizers are gonna have to answer those questions again, the next time we call for a rally or march.

We will talk to these bases of ours about the police presence, what it represents, and what our response to it will be in the future. We will also talk to them about building a movement, and building more support and alliances with other, non-immigrant groups like yours.

As opposed to the way some others organize--by only propagandizing, criticizing “reformers,” and acting as if they were the only militants around. Some from the p.l.p. even had the nerve to call the young people wearing Puerto Rican flags as capes “reactionary.” And some from the r.c.p. called a caaelii organizer an “asshole.”

That is what happened on Saturday.