Ventura Protest Draws Support

A multiracial group of 36 protesters at the corner of Telephone Road and Victoria Avenue drew a cacophony of blaring horns and shouts of support Monday for their call to end racism and police brutality in the wake of the not-guilty verdicts in the Rodney G. King beating case.

“Throughout our nation the problem of racism is ongoing,” said protest organizer Gabriel Serrano, 44, president of Lucha Inc., which means struggle in Spanish. “We’ve got to take ownership that it exists in Ventura County,” he said at the County Government Center protest.

Tessah Schoenrock, 4, of Ventura waved a sign at motorists that read, “Honk for Justice” on one side and “Justice for King” on the other.