by Dianne Anderson

Trump Make American Great Again supporters were out full force last month in Yorba Linda where they closed in on the car of one of the members of the Urban Organizers Coalition as she fled for safety.

During the Caravan 4 Justice anti-racism rally, available footage shows Trump’s side protesters converged on Tatiana “Tia” Turner’s car, banging on the vehicle, and trying to block her from leaving.

Her attorney, Ludlow Creary II, said that her only concern at that moment was trying to get away unharmed. On the exit, Turner’s car struck one person, who sustained a broken leg, and another with a lesser injury.

She now faces charges of attempted murder with the car considered a deadly weapon, and is held on $1 million bail.

“The Trump supporters were very aggressive. They were very clear that they didn’t want her or any people from Caravan 4 Justice there. The law enforcement was not helpful at all,” Creary said.

Turner, 40, a Long Beach resident and founder of Caravan 4 Justice, called 911 and tried to get help. She approached the deputy sheriff, but they shrugged her off, Creary added, indicating to her a clear act of solidarity with the Trump counter-protesters.

Of the 250 protesters, about 200 were MAGA supporters. Creary said they instigated the situation to create a hostile environment, but the grassroots Caravan 4 Justice were unarmed.  He says at the protest, Trump supporters were screaming USA and another screamed, “That ain’t going to stop what I got in my F-ng hand right now” as she started to drive away.

“They were being violent. There are reports that people were flashing guns and someone flashed a gun at her. That’s why she took off,” he said.

He said Turner had no gun. There have been reports from the sheriff’s department that individuals had firearms.

“Everybody has full constitutional rights, but if you had a bunch of Black people in Orange County with guns, that would be on the front page,” he said.

From here, the next step is to set a preliminary hearing. He expects to move for a change of venue because no one feels that she can receive a fair trial in Orange County.

Caravan 4 Justice protesters are nonviolent, he emphasized, and the group had coordinated with the city to hold the peaceful protest, even as the city and law enforcement failed to keep the peace.

The perception is that BLM protesters came to Orange County to hurt people, he said.

“That’s just not true,” he said. “They didn’t just pop up out of nowhere. They were in communication with the city all week about their plans. The city didn’t tell them not to come.”

Last week, several speakers turned out in Long Beach to support Turner, and with a call for mobilization and unity to stand against Trump supporters and the Proud Boys.

Some had attended the Yorba Linda protest, and said Trump supporters were like a lynch mob, outnumbering Caravan 4 Justice on the front line at 200 to 20.

Another member talked about how he has received death threats since his name appeared in the papers, and Turner also received death threats.

“Let our drama not be with each other but against the police the racists and the fascists. If we are going to win in this movement, it has to be one of inclusiveness. It has to be one of mixed generation, mixed-race mixed culture,” the speaker said.

They talked about how Turner is being flouted as an example, held on $1 million bail.

“Yes, America was never great and if you know anything about America, it was founded on slavery and genocide and that’s not an excuse to let another one happen now,” another speaker said.