Amid tensions, Petalumans call for peace

It was mid-November when Petaluma resident Luke Entrup posted what became a widely shared photo on Facebook of a small sticker he removed in the city’s downtown that claimed, in divisive language, that homosexuals and Muslims were antithetical to the United States.

The message was a stark contrast to the cultural values Entrup said he felt defined Petaluma, and quickly prompted talk with a small group of collaborators of a rally to put those values on display.

After marching through downtown Petaluma with around 600 other people demonstrating for peace and tolerance last week, Entrup said he was encouraged.

“For me, this was a very strong statement about who we are as a community,” he said.

Community leaders in Petaluma are working to counteract the kinds of conflicts, tensions and divisive rhetoric that have materialized around the nation after the polarizing presidential election last month, calling for civility and mutual respect amid recent episodes that, in some cases, have occurred within city limits.

Promoted largely through social media and word of mouth, the rally on Nov. 25 was the latest and perhaps largest example of Petalumans calling for comity after the divisive election of Donald Trump. Yet it wasn’t the only example, following a public letter by Petaluma’s interim chief of police vowing investigation of possible hate crimes and calls for mutual respect from leaders at the city’s schools.

Entrup described the rally not as a direct response to the recent election, but rather a reaffirmation of ideals like tolerance, respect and inclusion he said were widely shared in Petaluma.

“It’s not about who we vote for. It’s about who we stand for in the community,” he said.

Less than a week after the launch of a page to advertise the rally on Facebook, hundreds were on hand for the event, “Stand Together as One Petaluma: A Rally for Peace.” The rally started with a series of speeches at Petaluma’s Walnut Park, including former congresswoman Lynn Woolsey, Mayor David Glass, peace activists and undocumented Petaluma residents attending college.

The group then marched through the city’s downtown, where Entrup said he and others were greeted with fanfare.

“The real treasure of that experience was the march – seeing 600 people march through downtown Petaluma chanting messages of peace and respect, and seeing so many people honking their horns and coming out of their shops to cheer us on right there in the town center,” he said.

Two weeks earlier, a small group of spectators at Petaluma’s annual downtown Veterans Day Parade hoisted variations of the Confederate battle flag from the sidelines of the event, a divisive display that drew the condemnation of Rep. Jared Huffman as he rode in the procession itself. He connected the episode to the Trump campaign.

“I’ve been doing that parade for a dozen years, and I’ve never seen anything like that,” he said in November. “This is not an isolated thing. We need to prepare for more of this because the Trump campaign has legitimized and given public space to some shadowy groups that used to hide from public view.”

The flag - an emblem of the secessionist Confederate States of America that many consider a racist symbol - was also reportedly displayed from cars driving alongside participants in a student walkout in Petaluma the following Monday, said Lt. Tim Lyons of the Petaluma Police Department. Two days later, a Petaluma Junior High School parent cited “the recent political activity” when she reported a confrontation involving her child to police later that week, he said.

While police were still looking into the junior high incident last week – and while the flag displays appeared to involve legal demonstration – Lyons said law enforcement moved to release the public letter as a proactive call for “continued peace and respect.”

“We’re watching the media, and all the other protests – we’re trying to be out front and proactive,” Lyons said.

Lyons said hate crime cases in Petaluma are rare, with two instances of alleged verbal conflicts involving race investigated in the past year.

Crimes committed in whole or in part due to a victim’s disability, gender, nationality, race or ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation or association with a related group “will be investigated and prosecuted as a hate crime,” the letter, by interim Chief Ken Savano, said.

“Crimes of this nature will not be tolerated,” the letter read.

At Petaluma schools, administrators are conducting their own outreach on the campus level, said Dave Rose, director of student services for Petaluma City Schools. His office handles serious disciplinary issues at the district, and while “a few isolated things” like verbal arguments have occurred between students, none have been severe enough to prompt action like an expulsion.

“Whenever events take place, including the national election, it is reflected on our campuses,” he said. “We have to be sensitive that there will be a heightened state of emotion.”

At Casa Grande High School, Principal Eric Backman said non-participants were “civil and respectful” of the approximately 300 students who participated in the walkout. Demonstrators themselves were also civil, discussing their plans beforehand with Petaluma police.

He noted that the weeks after Nov. 8?have been concerning for many, and that the school is looking at ways to create open political dialogue both inside and outside of the classroom.

“Following the presidential election, there are many young people (as well as adults) who are experiencing a sense of uncertainty, and for some, even fear. In response, teachers and staff at Casa are working very hard to build and support safe learning environments that allow for students of all political persuasions to come together, communicate and learn from one another,” Backman said, in an email.

Entrup, who helped organize the Nov. 25 rally, said the vast majority of participants were from Petaluma. Yet others came from around Sonoma County, and some from other parts of the Bay Area.

He said the event’s popularity spoke to a broader appetite to move past recent politically fueled rhetoric, and toward constructive efforts at building community.

“We tried to make this less about national politics and more about what’s happening in our community now, and really focusing on the community we want to be creating, which is one of peace, decency and respect,” he said.

(Contact Eric Gneckow at eric.gneckow@aguscourier.com. On Twitter @Eric_Reports. Press Democrat Staff Writer Christi Warren contributed to this report.)