Mission Viejo Tax Day Tea Party

I had to go to UCLA today with my Dad, but did manage to get back in time to catch part of the Mission Viejo Tax Day Tea Party. My son agreed to act as a stringer for me and went over earlier to take a bunch of pictures as he wandered among the crowd (he ended up taking about 70 pictures). Based on the number of people who signed petitions during the rally, the attendance during the 3 hour rally was at least 600.

The rally took place on all four corners of La Paz and Marguerite Parkway, a major intersection in town. When I got there the rally had already been underway for over 2 hours and the enthusiasm hadn't died down a bit. The protesters were waving flags and signs, and waving at the motorists going through the intersection, many of whom honked in support. I didn't see any signs of agitators or problems, and the mood was very festive. There also weren't any cops in sight, so I assume it had been peaceful the whole time.There was a good mix of ages, from little kids to seniors. I even ran into my parent's family physician who was there with his brother's family and their kids. They're originally from Egypt and know a thing or two about living under an oppressive regime.

Here are some pictures of the scene, along with some favorite signs. Thanks again to my son for taking some of these.

















I don't think this will be the last protest of its type in Mission Viejo.