http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/northcounty/20060501-2330-vistariot.html
11:30 p.m. May 1, 2006
VISTA – Law officers from around the county raced into Vista on Monday night to help quell what sheriff's officials called a riot, with crowds throwing rocks and bottles at deputies.
Authorities estimated 800 to 1,200 people swarming the streets after a rally to protest the proposed federal immigration bill had broken up at Wildwood Park on East Vista Way at Escondido Avenue.
Advertisement
Nearly 200 officers poured into town in the hours after Vista deputies radioed for help about 8 p.m.
Officers dressed in riot gear, and with police dogs, were starting to order crowds to disperse about 11 p.m.
Deputies had been monitoring the park rally, then reported that people were throwing bottles at them, sheriff's Capt. Glenn Revell said. He said deputies retreated and were not injured.
Revell said crowds split into three groups, some staying near Wildwood Park, while others congregated along Melrose Drive. Others sat down and blocked the intersection at North Santa Fe Avenue and Bobier Street until officers converged to break up the crowd.
Some 200 people walked up and down Santa Fe Avenue from Bobier Drive to Vista Village Drive. About 10:30 p.m., 40 to 50 police cars lined Santa Fe Avenue. Many officers wore helmets and padding.
“It's not supposed to be a riot, it's supposed to be peaceful,” said Adrian Olivos, 21, of Vista. “I don't know why there is all the commotion.”
“It was spontaneous,” said Christina Colt, 19, of Vista. “People were waving the Mexican and American flags. They all just came together, and out of nowhere cops just started pouring in, and canines.”
Near Wildwood Park, a mob swarmed two television trucks, throwing rocks and trying to overturn them.
“The Sheriff's Department is not placing blame on the demonstrators,” Revell said. “We believe this is a very small group of people who are making this protest for criminal behavior.”
Councilman Frank Lopez said the park rally had been peaceful but loud.
“It was calm, people were enjoying themselves,” Lopez said. He added that later in the evening, he could hear young people racing up and down the streets in trucks, waving flags and yelling.
“I saw a lot of officers go by” soon after that, Lopez said.
Sheriff's officials requested mutual aid from law agencies around the county. Five Carlsbad officers headed to Vista about 8:30 p.m.
About 9 p.m., the California Highway Patrol sent eight officers from its El Cajon-area office. A short time later, 20 San Diego police officers started racing, lights and sirens on, toward Vista. Escondido sent 19 officers and Oceanside sent nine.
They came from as far away as Coronado and La Mesa, which each sent three officers, while El Cajon sent five, National City six and Chula Vista 11.
Many officers came with patrol dogs, forming lines in the street. Some officers reported no scenes of violence as the evening wore on, but that disturbances popped up in different parts of town.
Mayor Morris Vance said the Wildwood Park cultural event featured a lot of music and speakers, but was breaking up in the late afternoon. He knew of no one with permits to march afterward.
ping
It would not surprise me in the least to hear of riots breaking out in American cities. There's definitely a nasty whiff of 1968 in the air lately.
If there is violence, writers should use the word "violence". If there is a riot, they should use the word "riot".
See how simple this writing stuff can be?
fyi SD U0T today re: Vista last night..
CA: 200 officers clear streets in Vista after reported riot (It was "spontaneous".)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1625326/posts
Great reporting Mfccinsd!!!!!!
I hadn't heard a thing about this until I saw Norms thread this morning. I've not read through this thread yet but just wanted to thank you for keeping on top of this.
On another note, everything seemed relatively normal down my way. I took a drive here in my town and then through Lakeside. Normal traffic, usual foot traffic. I did notice that a lot of the mom and pop taco stands were closed but that didn't surprise me a bit.
Stay safe up there mfcc!
>>Reports for help from all police to respond to Vista<<
I always knew it woujld come to this, I just thought Microsoft was smart enough to bide their time.
Bottom line from CNN All Day Coverage: no economic impact. Stocks slightly lower, mostly due to profit taking after the record high business week.
I suppose none of the paranoids who think we can Seal-a-Meal this country off from any more foreign devils care to listen to the fact that our best hope for REAL, PRODUCTIVE immigration reform is to ADVERTIZE YESTERDAY'S FAILURE in BIG, BOLD LETTERS AND LOUD, IMPOSSIBLE TO IGNORE VOICES will bother to pay attention to this post. Hopefully, a few others of us (who have big mouths and b*tchy natures) will...and act.
