Protest Held Against Drivers License Checkpoints

About 200 people attended a candlelight vigil Saturday at Grape Day Park to protest the Escondido Police Department's use of driver's license checkpoints.

Rights activists, many from the Latino community, spoke out against the checkpoints, which they called unjust and a ploy to check immigration status.

According to a North County Times article, attendees held candles and formed a prayer circle in the park. "The intimidation has to stop ---- we all want peace," boomed the voice of Evi Quinn, a member of the Interfaith Committee for Worker Justice.

"There is no way we are going to stand by silently and not raise our voices for those who are oppressed," she said.

Escondido police say the checkpoints bolster traffic safety. They are not used to check immigration status, Escondido police Sgt. Doug Sams said.

About 10 people held a counter-protest at the park. Several were members of the Escondido Minuteman Brigade, an anti-illegal-immigrant group.

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