Manhattan Beach Racism Alive & Well As Peaceful Protesters Baited

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MANHATTAN BEACH, CA — Manhattan Beach's racist past is present even today, though it may be confined to a smaller number of the city's citizens than those who are not racist. Still, as an area group protested at Bruce's Beach today [Sunday, Sept. 13], which is known for its history of stripping Black property owners of their land, White men showed up and attempted to cause problems and provoke the protesters into physical action.

The two men, reportedly self-proclaimed Manhattan Beach residents, who were captured in the no-mask coffee brawl in downtown Manhattan Beach a few weeks ago that was reported on TMZ and went viral, showed up at the protest, according to reports.

Said Manhattan Beach resident Jake Scheinberg, "We were met by two vocal Trump-supporting men without masks who were getting into people's faces, verbally harassing them, and even trying to bait someone into fighting them by pretending to be shoved by them," he said in a post on Nextdoor. "They were wearing bodycams and were actively trying to provoke us so they could have video recordings of altercations, but they were unsuccessful. The leader of the BLM protest defused the situation, and I give her major credit for her professionalism and composure."

Said Reid Bryan, a lifetime Manhattan Beach resident, "I attended the protest to learn more about Bruce’s Beach, to provide a voice for Black lives in a predominantly white community, and to support a cause which needs and deserves more. I saw such amazing people participating in the protest. Everything was peaceful, organized, and respectful. We want justice, we want equity, and we want equality. It was my first protest in MB, and it will certainly not be my last.

"I would like to say it was a purely positive experience, but a few cars drove by yelling 'White power', and one White man began barking out his car window. The focus was not on them, and we ignored them.

"Then, two men wearing a MAGA hat and American flag shirt started antagonizing and trying to start a fight. Neither were wearing masks, and one man got in our faces yelling 'What even is a Black life?, When was there not justice?' He told me I was illegally blocking the sidewalk and began approaching me from behind, clearly disregarding my personal space, the 6-foot guideline, and had no reason to do any of this. I felt him coming behind me and raised my elbow to push him away, then the two men started threatening me physically, saying I provoked them. They said they would tear me apart, and they had me on video raising my elbow to keep them away from me. I put my hands up in the air to avoid any unnecessary fighting and was separated by the lovely people in the protest. Eventually, these men left while laughing, as if they accomplished anything."

Bryan, although disappointed with the aggression and hate he saw today, put a positive spin on the event, saying, "It was quite disheartening to see displays of racism, aggression, and verbal threats to people who are fighting for racial equality, but the overall experience was so amazingly positive. These few incidents were greatly outnumbered by civilians raising their fists, clapping along, or stopping to listen before continuing on. Manhattan Beach has so many great citizens, but we are not exempt from racism like some may incorrectly believe. I look forward to more events similar to this one, and I look forward to again seeing the friendly supportive faces that I met today."

Scheinberg posted on Nextdoor, "Let me first preface by saying that I am not for or against the proposals for Bruce's Beach. I believe in dialogue and will support the best solution that both sides can agree on for the park. In addition, I am someone who is against any form of violence whatsoever, so do not try to blame me for being someone I am not.

"With that being said, I attended a small protest today at Bruce's Beach in favor of BLM. I came to photograph the event and to show my support. It was a peaceful rally that didn't actually touch upon the topic of Bruce's Beach too much, but rather of the many injustices that African-Americans have faced throughout the years. The message was straightforward and non-controversial.

"However, that didn't stop people from harassing us. ...

"In addition to that incident, one person driving along Highland decided to roll down their window, throw his fist into the air, and yell 'White power' at us. I have no idea if he was actually a resident of Manhattan Beach, but it was a disgusting display of blatant racism, especially at a park with such a racist past.

"Although I can't speak for the BIPOC community, I still feel threatened by White nationalist rhetoric as a Jew, and that kind of behavior should have no place in our community.

"Please don't make this a discussion about Bruce's Beach, BLM, etc. This is about blatant racism, and I hope we as a community can collectively condemn it so we can make our town as welcoming as we possibly can."

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