Salinas protesters join call for congressional investigation into disappearance of Vanessa Guillen

SALINAS, Calif. (KION) People gathered in Salinas on Saturday to call for a congressional investigation into the case of Vanessa Guillen, a Fort Hood soldier who went missing in April.

The demonstration took place at the intersection of South Main Street and Blanco Road. Protesters brought signs and wore face masks.

Nationally, the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) worked with Guillen's family for justice, but they're supporting locally on the Central Coast, as well.

“The cause is important to LULAC because this is one of ours,” LULAC Salinas Council #2055 President Christopher Barrera said.

Because Guillen was a Latina in the military, protesters said that Guillen's story resonated with local residents.

“Vanessa’s twenty and I’m twenty. I could’ve been Vanessa, right?" organizer Emma Garcia said. "People of color in this community could have been Vanessa.”

And protesters said they purposely picked Saturday for the demonstration.

“Fourth of July is the best day to highlight, like, look, American isn’t great and we need to do something about that,” Garcia said.