The recently passed Arizona SB1070 Immigration law, which makes illegal immigration a felony, has spurred a host of nationwide protests against the law.

While most of these demonstrators sought to be peaceful, many others exploited the controversy and used it as a cover to destroy public property and promote general mayhem. Case in point is the May Day riot in Santa Cruz on May 1, where approximately 250 people marched along Pacific Avenue carrying makeshift torches, throwing large rocks and paint bombs and spray painting walls with graffiti. Newspaper outlets reported at least 18 businesses suffered damage during the rally, and overall damage for the incident was estimated at $100,000.

The disturbing fact about the Santa Cruz May Day “protest” is that there was never evidence it was intended to be peaceful or even sought to accomplish anything other than widespread destruction and chaos. Fliers promoting the protest days before called it a “street party” and a chance to “celebrate, eat, drink, dance and take over” and had messages such as “take back this day. Kick it with us for a truly sick night of mayhem,” according to the Santa Cruz Sentinel.

The names of the people or groups responsible for the event were not present on the fliers. Santa Cruz police suspect that an unnamed anarchist group may be behind the violence, since many of the fliers were found in the SubRosa Cafe, a self-proclaimed anarchist organization known for its run-ins with law enforcement in the past. Numerous anarchy graffiti were painted on store fronts and walls during the event. The SubRosa denies involvement in the May Day riot. As of last Monday, the FBI has joined the investigation, the press reported.

Whether the Santa Cruz affair was really a protest gone wrong or a guise for anarchist violence, such destructive riots do nothing to support immigration and do more harm than good in the long run. Violence, well intended or not, only serves to muddle and slow down the resolution process by instilling public fear in the violence itself, rather than rational consideration for the issue at hand. And while Americans encourage the concept of free speech, most do not endorse aggression as a way to press a point.

Councilmen and business owners of Santa Cruz had nothing but condemnation for the events downtown, calling them “childish, asinine and disgusting.” The violence left the protesters open to ridicule, which does nothing to drive their cause, if there ever was one to begin with.

“I think all the people in Santa Cruz and all surrounding communities care about comprehensive immigration reform that is fair to America and good for the economy,” said Tony Madrigal, councilman and union representative, as quoted in the Santa Cruz Sentinel. “People have a right to free speech, but that doesn’t give them a right to go around destroying property and inciting fear in the downtown community and tarnishing a message calling for common sense immigration reform.”