In a social post by Lassen County District 5 Supervisor Jason Ingram, he advocates for the community to collectively “show up in force”. Urging residents to bring their vehicles and “respectively resist” the Rainbow Family Gathering amid the group’s controversial arrival just this week.
In Ingram’s post, he shares his experience after visiting the gathering location. “As many of you now know, the ‘Rainbow Gathering’ is forming up the Antelope Grade. Last night, I drove through and was briefed by U.S. Forest law enforcement on the situation. Not only that, but I walked the grounds of this “event” and witnessed what they were doing firsthand; between 100 – 200 people (with many more on the way) were burning several illegal campfires, diverting water from the creek with hundreds of feet of poly pipe, and creating piles of garbage bags. I also saw a man defecating in public.”
Ingram goes on to say that he believes each person committing the illegal activities he witnessed should be held accountable to the law, stating, “If you or I were to engage in any of these activities, we would rightfully be fined thousands of dollars, and we should not tolerate that behavior from any person or group.”
Ingram says the organized protest will meet at the Chevron Gas Station at the bottom of the Antelope Grade at 4:30 PM on Friday, June 21st, before caravanning up the grade to the Rainbow Gathering site.
“I will personally be cooking smash burgers on my Blackstone grill for anyone who attends and wants to help. This is important; while I support the right of groups to LAWFULLY congregate and hold events, this rainbow gathering is clearly a destructive and illegal force. They are engaged in activities that pose a major fire risk and harm to our wildlife and land. If the group’s attendance swells to thousands as it potentially could, we would be looking at a MAJOR fire risk and almost certainly be in store for yet another devastating wildfire season. As your Supervisor, I will not sit on the sidelines and allow that to happen. Come one, come all, and I’ll see you at the Chevron on Friday.”
