Local members of the national labor union, The Industrial Workers of the World, gathered Saturday night to remember one of their own.
The 32-year-old woman killed when a man deliberately drove into a crowd protesting a white supremacist rally in Virginia was also a member of the union.
“This is a serious loss for us. One of our comrades died today,” one union member at the El Cajon vigil said. “It could have been one of us."
About 60 people showed up to the hastily-put-together vigil with a simple message: denouncing white supremacy and right-wing groups that use violence to continue to suppress minority groups and people of color.
Families came with children to light candles and stood in unity against hate. Other social justice organizations also came to support the candlelight vigil.
Participant Claire Douglas said a member of her group was also injured when James Alex Fields, Jr. slammed his car into the crowd in Charlottesville.
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She said that despite the shock and fear from today's actions, it is necessary to organize.
“People are really scared,” she said. “I think this kind of demonstration makes people think like I should just stay home, and I think. . .that what we. . .absolutely need to do is to be bigger than them, be more organized than them and show them we are the majority.”
Organizers say they won’t be intimidated by hate groups and will mourn peacefully and safely.
A walk of peace and second candle light vigil will take place Sunday.
