Protesters Throw A Fiesta To Razz Lawyer Who Ranted At Spanish Speakers

Mary Papenfuss

A crowd of protesters ― backed by a killer mariachi band ― hooted, chanted, and serenaded Manhattan attorney Aaron Schlossberg outside his home on Friday in response to his hate-filled rant against Spanish speakers earlier in the week.

The “fiesta” protest featured a mix of music, tacos, some outrage and mostly high spirits. A Mexican flag flew from the top of Schlossberg’s Upper West Side apartment building.

“We will speak Spanish,” said Carlos Jesus Calzadilla, president of Young Progressives of America. “The reality is we contribute a lot and we are part of this American experience, and we will not allow racists to silence us.”

Schlossberg did not make an appearance.

The lawyer was caught on video in a Manhattan restaurant on Tuesday yelling about restaurant staff speaking Spanish with customers. “They have the balls to come here and live off of my money I pay for their welfare,” he complained. “The least they could do is speak English.” He threatened to call the authorities, claiming he was convinced the restaurant workers were in the country illegally.

The mariachi band was originally scheduled to play outside Schlossberg’s law office, but his landlord evicted him from the space after his diatribe went viral, so the protest moved to his home.

Two local politicians have filed a misconduct complaint against Schlossberg, and his legal business has been trashed on Yelp.

An opinion piece in The Washington Post suggested on Friday that perhaps it’s time to back off just a bit from “internet vigilantism” ― even for a “viral racist lawyer.”

Check out more of the protest here:

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This article originally appeared on HuffPost.