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Community Mourns Victims as Political Tensions Rise

4 years 7 months 3 weeks ago Wednesday, August 07 2019 Aug 7, 2019 August 07, 2019 11:31 PM August 07, 2019 in News

EL PASO - The president's visits were met with both supporters and protesters.

Every day there's something different to see in the memorial.

What started with candles and flowers has become so much more.

You can see posters with messages of support.

Some themes emerge like the community's binationality and some with a message for president Trump.

Many use this memorial as a place to find solace.

But at times today that peace was interrupted as emotions mixed with rising political tensions

The chants were not welcome to everyone at the memorial honoring the lives of the 22 people who died Saturday in the mass shooting.

Two women were edged out by the crowd with law enforcement looking on making sure it didn't become violent.

Disruptions prompting the police department to tweet out:

"The memorial was meant to honor the victims. Do not dishonor them by clashing against each other. Stop the hate."

President Trump visited victims, their families and first responders.

Dee Margo, Mayor of El Paso, welcomed the president alongside the governor and other leaders.

But the visit came at a tumultuous time for the city.

"I believe that the level of fear has increased in our communities. So, yes. But at the same time, it's important to say that little by little that fear has been transformed into anger. People are upset,” said Fernando Garcia.

Border Network For Human Rights founder Fernando Garcia says that anger is coming from the immigrant community  and their fear  that they have become targets for attacks like this one.

And Garcia says that anti-immigrant sentiments, no matter where they come from, fuel that fear.

"Words have consequences, and I think we cannot ignore that,” said Garcia.

Senator Ted Cruz, who also greeted the president, says no one should be trying to take advantage of a tragedy like this for political gain and that he was appalled by the suspected gunman;s anti immigrant rhetoric.

"As a Hispanic, as the son of a Cuban immigrant, I was horrified. I read that so called manifesto from this, this, this hateful lunatic. And the ideas are sick, they are depraved, but they are not Texas. That's not El Paso. That's not America," said Cruz.

The president is now back in D.C.

While here in El Paso the search for balance between peace and inclusivity of all races goes on.

Despite any disruptions at this ever-changing memorial, there are things you can find here every day, like  love, tears, and resilience.

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