Kimmie McGinley leads chants with the bullhorn as the crowd moves into the intersection of Newport and Bacon.
A large crowd gathered at the foot of Newport Avenue and rallied against Target coming into Ocean Beach.
It’s 5:30 and people begin to gather.
Many signs, a large banner and chants of “No Target in OB!” met the strollers, the visitors, people driving by and the handful of TV trucks and cameras.
A few people spoke and led the yells through the bullhorn – including a little girl that couldn’t have been more than 5 – yet the main speaker and chant leader was Kimmie McGinley, a long-time OB activist.
It was Wednesday August 30th, late in the afternoon, and it was Farmers Market day on Newport Ave.
The crowd moves down Newport Avenue.
After about a half hour of speeches, more chants and people signing petitions, the protest marched into the street and down the middle of OB’s main business street.
This reporter counted 80 people in the street as part of the demonstration. A few more followed the crowd over on the sidewalks.
A second rally in front of the Antique Center.
Once in front of the Antique Center where a Target Express is being planned, the protest staged a second rally. More OBceans joined in the chants, “Boycott Target! Boycott Target!”, and “Keep It Local!”
McGinley reminded the crowd before it broke up, that there’s a protest planned in front of the Sports Arena Target on September 3rd.
{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
Hey everybody, I just had an epiphany!
What would you do if Target made a hybrid car plastered with
it’s logo, manned by their mascot, if they got one.
Mounted on to the roof were mega bull horns, playing
sound bites, of Chuck Berry’s long live version of”My Ding A Ling”
as it tagged along behind the parade of marchers?
Could y’all imagine that!
“….sex is a beautiful thing it’s honorable and it’s lovable.”
“….this is a free country, live like you want to live baby!”
“….Girls! The boys got their part ready! Yes! Mam!”
Damn! What kind of shit do you smoke to have an epiphany like that? And where can I get some?
I’d be really impressed if they pulled that off, considering their mascot is a dog.
Boycott Target! Thanks for being there everybody, couldn’t make it myself. The dozens of OBcians who turned up represent a far greater number of residents who weren’t there.
Joe, I think the OBRag prefers “OBcean”.
Molly, it’s not just the OB Rag. When OB fought for the Community Plan in 2014, we had hundreds of t-shirts made that said: “Keep the OBcean Attitude”, and notice the spelling. I think Mindy still has some at Dog Beach Dog Wash and the Green Center also has them.
Wish all of these people would get out and improve our community – you know add something positive instead of this mess.
Who are you referring to? The people out there organizing and protesting something they stand for, or the people sitting on their computers complaining about them?
Little Miss brewery renovated a space on Newport but couldn’t get their alcohol license. Now they’re out big remodel bucks, and had to break their lease and leave town.
Target, it looks like dangerous waters ahead…
Right about now I bet the Hermiz Bros are wishing they leased their Newport building to Target Express. Check out this news
https://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2017/sep/07/stringers-one-less-market-golden-hill/