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Border watchers attacked during training session
WorldNetDaily ^ | September 18, 2005 | WorldNetDaily

Posted on 09/18/2005 9:23:33 PM PDT by MarIboro

In San Diego, deployment shut down over concern for safety for volunteers

A group called Gente Unita confronted volunteer border watchers in San Diego yesterday with obscenities, shoving and U.S. flag desecration, causing Friends of the Border to abandon a planned deployment and an apology by the group's leader for not having police protection for senior citizen and other members of the group.

Andy Ramirez, chairman of Friends of the Border, said he was concerned about the safety of his volunteers.

"Safety comes first, even before our primary mission to help the Border Patrol secure our border with Mexico," he said.

One eyewitness told WND he saw members of Gente Unita assault four members of the border-watch group, including organizer Capt. Drew Johnson, a retired Navy officer.

"Gente Unita stole an American flag, ripped from its staff and trampled it, as captured on film by cameraman Larry Morgan," said Roger Canfield, a former Republican congressional candidate.

The confrontation began when border volunteers were checking in at a card table for a training session, Canfield said.

"Shouting obscenities and slogans, Gente Unita shoved, jostled, and twice pushed their way into the center in 32 minutes of disorderly conduct as also witnessed by center staff and others at the center to take a state notary exam," Canfield said.

One man allegedly shouted, "We''re going to shut you the f--- down," in the face of several volunteers.

Others, he said, broke off from the group to attack the check-in table located, under a flag pole. While the larger group was charging the entryway of the Scottish Rite Center, two others grabbed a U.S. flag on a wooden staff, a confidential list of names, knocked over the table, knocked a hat off Johnson and roughed up volunteer Beverly Crawford.

The border watchers called 9-1-1 when the confrontation began, but San Diego police did not respond for about 20 minutes, according to Canfield.

Two members of Gente Unita were taken into custody, but were released shortly thereafter.

The Gente Unita activists arrived on the scene dressed in red and black, according to witnesses.

"We did not cross over the border, their border crossed over us," they chanted.

One of the protesters threatened Ramirez with a future "firefight" along the border.

Ramirez said his training session emphasized no conflict, no arms and no provocation. The border watchers, like their allies in the Minuteman organization, seek to monitor the border and report illegal activity directly to U.S. Border Patrol officials.

He apologized to his volunteers yesterday for not notifying law enforcement officials in advance of the training session.

"For this, I apologize to each of our volunteers who were personally assaulted, especially the captain, who is a man that everyone in my organization respects immensely, and cares about," Ramirez said. "No veteran of the U.S. armed services should ever have to be confronted by what several cowards did to our fellow citizen and friend. I also apologize to the San Diego Police Department."

He described the Gente Unita group as an "angry mob."

"An American flag was immediately desecrated by being torn away from our volunteers, off its pole, and onto the ground where it was stomped on and kicked," he said. "This vile act was committed by an individual who had concealed his face from cameras. We do have video footage, which was released by the volunteer to the media and shown in San Diego on their television newscasts. Individuals on tape were also assaulting and battering a number of senior citizens."

He added: "The protesters stalked our volunteers around the site, screamed in their ears, were cursed at, physically assaulted and battered, trespassed on private property, and participated in crimes of hate and acts of terrorism."


TOPICS: News/Current Events; US: California
KEYWORDS: aliens; immigrantlist
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Has anyone heard anything about this?
1 posted on 09/18/2005 9:23:34 PM PDT by MarIboro
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To: MarIboro

Where's that list?


2 posted on 09/18/2005 9:28:46 PM PDT by CindyDawg
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To: MarIboro
I hadn't heard about it until this article. I'd like to see the video, although it would probably tick me off in the extreme.
3 posted on 09/18/2005 9:30:04 PM PDT by Texas_Jarhead
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To: HiJinx; BurbankKarl; Black Tooth

Ping


4 posted on 09/18/2005 9:31:04 PM PDT by Brad’s Gramma (Lord, we need a Logan miracle for Simcha7 and Cowboy. Please.)
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To: CindyDawg; HiJinx

PING


5 posted on 09/18/2005 9:31:17 PM PDT by tertiary01 (It took 21 years but 1984 finally arrived.)
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To: CindyDawg

I want a look at it too.


6 posted on 09/18/2005 9:32:39 PM PDT by MarIboro
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To: MarIboro

We must pass out Bean-O at the border!!!!!!!!


7 posted on 09/18/2005 9:33:41 PM PDT by RIGHT IN LAS VEGAS
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To: MarIboro

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/mexico/tijuana/

Keep an eye on this site. They'll have something, I'm sure.


8 posted on 09/18/2005 9:37:24 PM PDT by Brad’s Gramma (Lord, we need a Logan miracle for Simcha7 and Cowboy. Please.)
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To: MarIboro

I don't want to see it. I just don't want the bad guys having members names and addresses.


9 posted on 09/18/2005 9:37:54 PM PDT by CindyDawg
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To: MarIboro

Messico is a spawning ground for thugs


10 posted on 09/18/2005 9:38:33 PM PDT by dennisw (G_D : Against Amelek for all generations)
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To: CindyDawg

someone should have peppersprayed the fools


11 posted on 09/18/2005 9:39:00 PM PDT by BurbankKarl
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To: MarIboro
Should Gente Unita be put on a terrorist watch list? Have these people been arrested? Is there a link to the video footage?
12 posted on 09/18/2005 9:39:22 PM PDT by one more state
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To: BurbankKarl

The problem I see , is that we expect them to act like us. These people have no rules. If it happened as reported here, I want to know why people aren't in jail.


13 posted on 09/18/2005 9:41:21 PM PDT by CindyDawg
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To: MarIboro
Yes,it happened pretty much as described except that the activities (a training session for new volunteers) were not cancelled as the article stated.They went on after the disturbance. The "protestors" are criminals with no respect for private property, free speech, or freedom of assembly, except for themselves.The lack of rapid response to a 911 call and subsequent release by police of two violent culprits of many were were inexcusable. I understand that one will be charged with battery. I am a member of the border watch group involved.
14 posted on 09/18/2005 9:41:56 PM PDT by luvbach1 (Near the belly of the beast in San Diego)
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To: one more state

Im not sure who they are. Hopefully someone here can dig up something, Im in the process right now.


15 posted on 09/18/2005 9:42:26 PM PDT by MarIboro
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To: MarIboro
I'll say one thing. The candidate in 2008 who promises to close off the Mexican border to illegals will gain a heck of a lot of votes for it. That's why the democrats are all over this by declaring states of emergency.
This is a huge issue to the American people, and we want the influx stopped - today!
If the Republicans want to win the next election, they'll stop dicking around in Louisiana and deal with this.
16 posted on 09/18/2005 9:43:10 PM PDT by concerned about politics ("Get thee behind me, Liberal.")
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To: luvbach1

Thank you!


17 posted on 09/18/2005 9:43:18 PM PDT by Brad’s Gramma (Lord, we need a Logan miracle for Simcha7 and Cowboy. Please.)
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To: luvbach1

Can yall file a restraining order?


18 posted on 09/18/2005 9:43:23 PM PDT by CindyDawg
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To: MarIboro
The spelling of the group's name might be off a little ... are they the militant arm of La Gente Unida?
19 posted on 09/18/2005 9:45:25 PM PDT by Sgt_Schultze
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To: Sgt_Schultze

Same bunch.


20 posted on 09/18/2005 9:46:42 PM PDT by MarIboro
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