From the Daily Caller: Democratic Long Beach, Calif. mayoral candidate Rogelio Martinez invited 55 gang leaders to join him Monday peacefully protesting against Immigration and Customs Enforcement in a video posted to social media Friday.
Martinez is one of five declared candidates for the November 2026 election to lead the city of about 450,000, having completed his Candidate Intention Statement in late 2025, according to the Long Beach City Clerk’s website. He originally posted the more than two-minute-long video message to Instagram declaring, “Long Beach needs to be ICE FREE.” He also expects to “see 55 gang leaders in front of City Hall this Monday at 5pm [sic].”
“My name is Rogelio Martinez. I am calling all 55 gangs in my beautiful city,” the candidate says in the video recorded in front of Long Beach City Hall. “I expect a gang leader from every gang, all 55 gangs.”
“I’m not going to name them by name, but I’m calling the Latino gangs. I’m calling the Cambodian gangs. I’m calling the Filipino gangs. I’m calling the black gangs. I’m calling the Pacific Islander gangs,” Martinez added. “I’m calling all gang leaders to meet me right here, Long Beach City Hall this coming Monday.”
“Specifically, I need you to be here to meet me in person, to take back this city, because our leadership is not doing anything about it, and our police are powerless,” Martinez claimed.
Posting the video on Instagram Thursday evening, Martinez wrote, “I am calling every gang leader in Long Beach to help me take back the city. Long Beach needs to be ICE FREE. I need your strength, support and leadership. If you love Long Beach like I do let’s show the world what COMMUNITY looks like. I expect to see 55 gang leaders in front of City Hall this Monday at 5pm.”
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In a reminder post Monday morning, he announced this will be a “peaceful rally” of 60 minutes of silence, and claimed the silence “will be deafening.”
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