About 60 anti-illegal immigrant activists demonstrating against a public art piece they say is unpatriotic were met with about 600 dancing, chanting and drum-beating opponents.The peaceful face-off Saturday was sparked by a 12-year-old arch at the Baldwin Park Metrolink station, entitled“Danza Indigenas.”It was the second protest by the Ventura County-based group Save Our State of the archway in the last two months. Save Our State wants the inscription removed, alleging that the engravings are anti-American. In particular, they have focused on the phrases,“It was better before they came,” and“This land was Mexican once, was Indian and always is, and will be again.”Save Our State supporter Henry Dias of San Dimas said the artwork represents a “full-scale soft invasion” of California by immigrants from Mexico.“Racist speech should never be paid for with tax dollars,” he said. The group says the phrase,“It was better before they came” is meant as a slur against whites.Artist Judith Baca, who created the work, has said the words actually were taken from gibes hurled at Mexican immigrants who moved to the area after World War II. She joined the counterprotest Saturday.

“My land and memory pieces are my attempt to spiritually reclaim land illegally acquired from Hispanos and indigenous peoples of the Southwestern United States.”