Residents and faith-based leaders in Marin City continue to express alarm over a huge pro-Trump caravan that overwhelmed the community Sunday.
Some in an estimated crowd of 1,000 protesters allegedly yelled racial slurs and taunted residents, and law enforcement were overwhelmed by the incident in the mostly African American community.
It happened at about 11 a.m. Sunday.
The caravan of vehicles, mostly pick-up trucks with pro-Trump posters and flags, started in Novato, eventually making its way to a large parking lot of the Gateway Shopping Center across the street from Marin City.
"(It was) about 300 cars of Trump supporters basically invaded Marin City," said community leader Paul Austin, who told KCBS Radio he thinks the event targeted African Americans and other people of color.
"Because a lot of the language that was used was racist, right," Austin said. "You have a bunch of white folks using the n-word."
A group of residents, reportedly holding a rally for Democratic candidate Joe Biden, confronted the supporters of President Trump. The Marin County Sheriff’s Department was caught off guard and initially overwhelmed. Deputies received reports of arguments and fights, along with paintballs being shot and eggs thrown.
It’s not clear which group engaged in the reported fighting, though both sides told the San Francisco Chronicle that the other started it.
"To my knowledge, we were only going to the parking lot for a pit stop," Santa Rosa resident Azmina Hanna told KCBS Radio. "I am a Black woman, so I would not be a part of a anything that's gonna be antagonistic or anything like that."
Hanna, who is currently a candidate for Santa Rosa City Council, appeared to have spoken during a portion of the "Trump Train" while it was stopped in a video posted to Facebook.
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"Whenever I see a group of people with red hats on that say 'Trump,' 'MAGA,' that’s the first thing that comes to my mind," First Missionary Baptist Church Pastor Ronald Leggett said. "There’s somebody in this crowd that’s going to do something hateful."