Watch CBS News

Community Rallies Around Mexican Grocery Store

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – After a shocking attack against a Mexican grocery store in Brookline, people from all over the city are showing their support.

And that support is only expected to grow Saturday during a rally of solidarity.

The line in front of the Las Palmas Mexican grocery store was long Friday, all of them waiting for tacos made every day in front of the store. But some have something else on their mind: the words "go back to Mexico," which were scrawled on the garage door of the building earlier this week.

Pittsburgh Police say so far, there are no leads on who is responsible.

Karen Murra drove to Brookline from Cranberry to show her support.

"I saw that on the news and I said, 'no way, I'm going to go and tell them I'm totally with them,'" Murra said.

"I heard about what happened on the news, these guys can stay here as long as they want," said Carlos Medina of Whitehall.

Not only is this a community effort, nine students from Brashear High School showed up to paint a mural on the garage door where the derogatory statement appeared.

"We need to let people know that they shouldn't be racist. We should all get along," said student Lesly Ramiriz.

Student Astonte Turner says it will say in Spanish, "'Welcome to Brookline.' For all of our Mexican residents who live in Brookline and walk these streets on a day-to-day basis, to anyone that it may have offended as well."

More than 200 people are expected to rally in front of the Mexican grocery store on Saturday. One of the organizers is Guillermo Perez, the president of the Pittsburgh chapter of the Labor Council for Latino American Advancement. Perez says what happened in Brookline is an attack on the larger Latino and immigrant community.

"When these things happen, we think it is really important that people of conscience step up, condemn it, call it for what it is," Perez said. "It's bigotry, it's hatred, it's wrong. It doesn't belong in Pittsburgh."

The rally takes place at noon in Brookline at Las Palmas Grocery Store at 700 Brookline Blvd.

Join The Conversation On The KDKA Facebook Page
Stay Up To Date, Follow KDKA On Twitter

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.