Pro-Immigration Protesters Again Storm Eric Cantor’s Condo

For the second time in six months, a group of pro-immigration protesters stormed inside the private northern Virginia residence of House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va.

About two dozen activists from a group called Casa de Virginia appeared at the Cantor’s condo complex in Arlington at about 8 p.m. Thursday. One distracted the complex’s front desk clerk long enough to allow the rest to stream into the lobby area.

Once inside, they attempted to distribute fliers to residents accusing Cantor of being “the one man blocking immigration reform.” They also loudly chanted, according to residents. At least one protester shouted through a bullhorn.

Police were called and the protesters continued their activities on the sidewalk outside the complex before finally leaving around 9 p.m. No one was reported injured and no arrests were made.

An affiliated group called Casa en Action did the exact same thing at Cantor’s condo complex in November. In that incident, one protester gained entry by pretending to inquire about getting a unit, then letting the others in.

Both times, the groups did not alert anyone in the media that they would be staging a protest–despite the fact that publicity is usually the main point of such an event. I only found out about it because I happen to live in the neighborhood.

“No, we did not send out a press release,” said Maria Jose Sandoval, spokeswoman for Casa de Virginia. “Not for this one.”

Sandoval was quite proud that the group had gotten inside the building, stating that they were in for 15 minutes before the police arrived and they had to move to the sidewalk. “They all got inside,” she said, gesturing towards the protesters. Several were at the November event as well, she added.

She was candid that the protest was driven by concerns that the chances for immigration legislation in Congress were dimming and they wanted Cantor to know that Virginia Latinos “wanted action.”

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One flier distributed by the protesters urged the residents to “Know Thy Neighbor” and urged them to tell Cantor to support reform. {snip}

Cantor himself was not seen and it was not clear if he was even at the complex Thursday evening. The condominium is in Arlington’s Pentagon City neighborhood, a residential area near the Pentagon.

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Casa de Virginia and Casa in Action are both offshoots of another group, Casa de Maryland.