Vigil against Escondido police

ESCONDIDO, Calif.--Local immigrant rights groups hosted a candlelight vigil to protest the police department's use of driver's license checkpoints to intimidate Latino residents.

As many as 200 people from all over San Diego participated in the event held at Grape Day Park in downtown Escondido, sending a clear message that they want the checkpoints to stop. Among the speakers at the vigil was Dolores Huerta, cofounder with Cesar Chavez of the United Farm Workers union.

Approximately 10 counter-protestors made their presence known by holding signs with hateful drawings and statements, while yelling loudly from a distance before they were approached by a police officer, at which point they stopped.

The protesters say police in Escondido conduct far more checkpoints than any other local law enforcement agency in San Diego County--and that the police actions are really designed to enforce immigration policy against the undocumented.

As activists pointed out in a statement handed out to the press, the checkpoints leave the Latino community feeling fearful to call police in the event of an actual emergency.