Hundreds of law enforcement supporters and counterprotesters gathered for a weekly rally Thursday evening in the Gilbert Thursday, but heavy police presence kept it calmer than last week when three were arrested.
Ronald Enrique Ore-Giron, an organizer for the rally at Warner and Gilbert roads, told The Arizona Republic the gathering's purpose is to show solidarity with police, President Donald Trump, God and the All Lives Matter movement.
The weekly rallies had been relatively small but last week drew a much larger crowd of hundreds after calls on social media for more attendees to stop or fight "antifa." It escalated after attendees confronted Black Lives Matter counterprotesters — video showed people punching others, yelling homophobic and racist slurs and making a Nazi salute, and three were arrested for assault, disorderly conduct and criminal damage.
Gilbert police on Thursday blocked traffic and barricaded the two groups into separate corners, escorting anyone attempting to cross the road back to the side with which they were aligned.
Rallies have grown as each side tries to outdo the other
Ore-Giron said he met with Gilbert Police Chief Michael Soelberg to discuss safety ahead of the rallies, which have been happening weekly in the area for the last six to eight weeks.
In the beginning, the rallies drew a couple dozen or so police and Trump supporters, eventually attracting counterprotesters who support the Black Lives Matter movement and are critical of police. As each side has called for more support to outnumber the other, the crowds have grown.
Ore-Giron acknowledged the rally last week got out of hand.
"I would agree some individuals came really tough-headed, really angry seeing what’s going on in our nation with burning businesses, burning churches, people are angry," he said.
To avoid unmanageable crowd sizes, Ore-Giron said he canceled a few of the event pages he'd made for the rally. Last week, police supporters far outnumbered counterprotesters, but on Thursday, each side was comparable.
Hundreds of people were on the corners after the rally began around 5 p.m. At least 30 officers and about two dozen police vehicles lined the road and orange barricades corralled the groups.
Northbound Gilbert Road was closed at Civic Center and American Heroes Way.
Gilbert police spokeswoman Brenda Carrasco said barricades would be in place both on the northwest and southwest corners of the intersections, and that the two corners had been designated as areas where those rallying could congregate.
Participants would "not be allowed to cross back and forth once they have arrived," Carrasco said, adding that failure to comply with the order could result in criminal charges.
On one side, people waved Americans flags and Trump 2020 and "don't tread on me" flags and "police lives matter" and printed "BLM-tifa not in my Gilbert" signs, and talked about countering socialists and "antifa," referencing a loosely organized antifascist ideology that has no clear organization or membership but is often criticized by President Donald Trump.
On the other, people held "abolish the police" and "Black Lives Matter" signs and chanted "racists go home!"
Counterprotesters could be seen picking up nails scattered by their cars parked near their designated side of the road. People on both sides could be seen with firearms.
Armonee Jackson, who has led Black Lives Matter marches in the Valley this summer, used a microphone to tell counterprotesters not to antagonize the others.
"That’s what they want us to do they want us to get rowdy so they can call us a bunch of thugs. That’s not what we’re here to do," Jackson said.
An officer spoke with a handful of counterprotesters, telling them bad actors escalated last week's protest.
"You got the pro-blue, ‘back the police,’ those guys, and then you got those guys last week, you had bikers, white supremacists, and those people are coming in here causing trouble," Lt. K Davis said. "Just realize we appreciate you guys being out here. We’re here to make sure you guys have your chance to do your thing. BLM, they’ve done a good job."
Most people and some police left the area by 8 p.m.
A personal mission for rally organizer
Ore-Giron said he used to be a Democrat and voted for both President Barack Obama and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in years past, which he called "the biggest mistake of my life."
He said he understands and accepts the push for widespread reform of law enforcement agencies but said fostering peace is also the responsibility of the communities they police.
He said that as a Latino man, he has only had positive interactions with law enforcement and that he believes most in the East Valley have had the same experience.
"We need law and order — there's no society that can live without it," he said, also calling police officers "incredible people."
Ore-Giron said he fears that if more people antagonize law enforcement, the president and other American institutions, the country will eventually become socialistic.
"We can't allow that here in America," he said. "I came here (from Peru) and love the freedom and love the liberties we have here. Everything that people talk about in the media, I don't see it."
He said he believes his rallies appeal to a wide demographic, saying that people of all races, ages and genders support his message.
One of the Wednesday marches was meant to honor people killed by Phoenix police and demand police reform, and another was for Jacob Blake, a Black man who was shot in the back by police as he was trying to enter his vehicle in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
Phoenix police as of Thursday morning had not found credible threats against the groups that had planned to protest, according to spokesperson Sgt. Tommy Thompson.
Reach the reporter at bfrank@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-8529. Follow her on Twitter @brieannafrank.
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