Protesters: Impeach Trump, Lock Him Up

CATHEDRAL CITY – Motorists honked and waved Monday evening as at least two dozen protesters gathered at the corner of East Palm Canyon Drive and Canyon Plaza calling for the impeachment of Donald Trump.

At times they chanted, “Lock him up. Lock him up.”

One of the protesters wore a shirt emblazoned with the phrase, “Impeach the Idiot.”

The protesters gathered at 5 p.m. at the height of “rush hour” traffic. Some motorists grabbed their cell phones to capture this moment in time. One man stopped, said he’d love to be part of it, but could not stay. Protesters promised they would be back next Monday, same time, same location. They have vowed to be back each Monday.

Three protesters showed up last week. On Monday, the contingent was at least eight times as large.

This working-class community was chosen as ground zero for the protest because it is “often forgotten in terms of community activism,” said Lynnie O’Neill, who helped organize the protest.

O’Neill, a Cathedral City resident, is a retired attorney and a local social justice advocate.

In addition to calling for Trump’s impeachment, the protest was considered the “roll out” of a new Democratic club in the Coachella Valley, the Coachella Valley Grass Roots Democratic Club. O’Neill said she will be filing the charter papers this week and is hoping it is approved quickly.

The idea was the brainchild of the Deep State Breakfast Club, which has met early every Saturday morning for more than a year to discuss issues that impact the Coachella Valley — and to plan and effectuate related political actions, according to O’Neill.

As a result, the Deep State Breakfast Club has:

• worked with the East West Alliance to hold three town hall meetings to discuss the constitutional crisis at the border;
• formed a speaker group to update the community on the separation of families and the complexities of the impeachment proceedings;
• supported Border Kindness, the Well in the Desert, the Galilee Center and other humanitarian activist groups;
• met with local candidates to keep current on political trends in the Coachella Valley;
• appeared at city council meetings and at the offices of elected representatives to advocate for progressive Ordinances and Bills.

This list is a sample of what the group has done and is not, by any means, all-inclusive.

With the 2020 elections swiftly approaching, the group decided to create a chartered democratic club to fill a need in the community.

The new club believes in the principles of the Democratic Party and in the integrity and leadership of incumbent Democratic elected representatives.

To that end, unless otherwise later directed by the Democratic Party, the club will support their re-elections without hesitation.

“We are facing the most critical election in our nation’s history,” O’Neill said.

There are already numerous Democratic clubs in the Coachella Valley. So, why another one?

“We believe we fill a need for progressives who want to be more proactive and present in the community,” O’Neill told Uken Report. “We believe that presence should be in the community at large and not just in the confines of halls or rallies of like-minded people. It is time to take the fight to forces that intend to do harm to folks with progressive values.”

As an example, O’Neill said protesting at Congressman Raul Ruiz’s office is an empty gesture as he is an ally and advocate.

There are other politicians that deserve our attention, like Republican state Sen. Jeff Stone or Republican U.S. Rep Paul Cook, O’Neill said.

“The Party is looking for people in clubs to be engaged in local politics, especially in the upcoming election cycle,” O’Neill said. “Since we are already active in our individual capacities, we thought it was time to act together in a more formal capacity.”