Protesters demonstrate outside Agua Caliente Rancho Mirage as Sheriff Chad Bianco speaks at event
RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. (KESQ) - Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco was met with protesters at the Agua Caliente Resort and Casino in Rancho Mirage as he spoke at an event held by a Republican group.
The East Valley Republican Women Patriots featured Bianco and former Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb at a luncheon. The two top cops were there to speak about public safety in their respective jurisdictions, as well as what they see as public safety policy "failures" from the Biden era.
The Republican group said about 360 people attended the luncheon, many of whom are supporters of Bianco's run for governor.
Less Pritchard, a La Quinta resident, voiced his support for the sheriff: "I think he'd do a very nice job as our governor. I think there's opportunity for him to make some significant changes."
In response to the event, a group of protesters voiced their displeasure with Bianco. They held signs reading "Bianco Must Go" and "Keep California Fascist Free."
They started at the entrance of the casino, but were asked to move off of Agua Caliente property. The demonstrators continued to walk along Bob Hope Drive, then dispersed after about 90 minutes.
Kelly Graziano, a Rancho Mirage resident and one of the protesters, explained her involvement in the demonstration. "We have to be there to let the people of California know what is happening behind the scenes, that there is a fascist running for governor with a history of abuse, with over 40 deaths in our county prisons in the last three years."
Protest organizers say they're "demanding accountability," especially for those inmate deaths under Bianco's watch.
When asked about those deaths, Sheriff Bianco says he and his deputies are not to blame.
"How many people have died every single day in our hospitals, in our homes, in our community?" Bianco asks. He continues, "It's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard of in my life. What I want to tell them is what magic thing do I do at the jail that causes people to not die when they come in there? They have all died from natural causes suicide, drug overdose. What is it that you think is supposed to happen when you go to jail?"
As Bianco continues his run for governor, organizers of the protest say they plan to keep him from Sacramento.
Nathan Kempe, one of the organizers, vows, "He's going to have a tough fight ahead. And it's not a walk for him to get to the governor's office. For the next 18 months, we're going to be organizing. We're going to make sure that he doesn't make it past the runoff."
