Posted on 10/19/2006 11:03:05 AM PDT by Res Nullius
Minutemen can't meet at Selah venue By ROD ANTONE YAKIMA HERALD-REPUBLIC
Citing safety and manpower concerns, Selah Civic Center administrators have denied meeting space to a local chapter of the controversial Minuteman Civil Defense Corps.
The group had asked to hold regular Sunday afternoon meetings in the center, which is owned by the city of Selah and operated by a city-appointed board.
But Vern Larson, the board's chairman, confirmed the board turned down the application on the police department's recommendation.
"We usually abide by what police suggest," Larson said.
Bob Dameron, the Minuteman chapter leader, said a letter denying the request -- and a check refunding the group's $75 deposit on the space -- arrived in the mail Wednesday.
"It's absolutely removing our constitutional right to meet," Dameron said. "We have good, clean outstanding people in our organization. Personally, I'd like to fight this, but it's not up to me. I'm going to take it up our chain of command and see what they want to do."
The Arizona-based Minuteman organization has gained national attention as a citizen watchdog group whose members patrol U.S. borders and report illegal activities to law enforcement. Although the group claims to be nonviolent, Chief Rick Gutierrez of the Selah police said he was concerned about documented clashes in other parts of the country between the organization and those protesting them.
"If 20 protesters and 20 Minutemen get into it, the four officers I have on day shift won't be able to handle that," Gutierrez said. "I'd have to call in officers on overtime, Sheriff's Office, State Patrol, Yakima (police). We just don't have the resources to handle something like that."
Dameron couldn't say how many people Minuteman meetings could draw. A number of local members are out of town patrolling borders, he said. The civic center can accommodate 105 people.
Earlier this week, Minuteman protesters at a Portland day-labor pick-up site encountered some rock throwing and shouting matches. And earlier this month, students at New York's Columbia University attacked Minuteman founder Jim Gilchrist, who'd been invited to speaker to the Columbia College Republicans.
Minutemen have also been being arrested or placed under police protection during demonstrations in largely Hispanic neighborhoods in California.
Chief Gutierrez noted that his concerns are not just for the community and residents, but for protesters and Minuteman members themselves.
"It's a double-edged sword. If we allow them to meet and someone gets hurt, we'll be blamed. And if we don't let them meet, people will say we're discriminating against them," he said.
Local immigrant-rights advocacy groups -- whose members worry about the fact that Minutemen are armed while they patrol borders -- are closely watching the organization and promise protests if the group gathers.
"We would definitely be there," said Maria Cuebas of Aguilas De Norte. "Undocumented immigrants are protected by our Constitution, and no one has the right to detain another person.
"But I would hope that this wouldn't erupt into anything violent or negative."
Selah Mayor Bob Jones said the Minuteman request puts the city in a "tough spot."
"It puts us in a curious decision, because we don't have a lot of police officers in case there is a confrontation," he said. "But people have constitutional rights, freedom of speech, freedom to gather. That's what this country is built upon."
* Rod Antone can be reached at 577-7628 or rantone@yakima-herald.com
ping
The Selah City Attorney, who advised the Chief of Police, may be reached at 509 698-7330
Where is this?
PS- The link doesn't work. There's a "." before the address and a space between the words.
And that is correct. Not what the police chief says, buget problems or manpower "issues".
Guess whose side this guy is on...
heh - now, someone from MeCha or an immigrants rights group should try to book the hall, let them try to turn them down!
I hope she had a mouse in her pocket and her own version of a Constitution. The US Constitution protects no such thing.
Instead of the cops worrying about being able to protect the Minutemen, how about they encourage the Minutemen to protect themselves and get out of their way? What are a bunch of illegal, Leftist scum going to do? Smack an ARMED Minutemen with a pasteboard sign?
So gather and meet on private property.
So we can deny the Minutemens Civil Rights to peaceful assembly, but we cannot apply it to an ideology (aka islamonazism) SWORN to MURDER us?
Somethins gonna give!
Washington state
http://www.yakima-herald.com/page/dis/287297764538961
I am sure the local chapter of the ACLU will be glad to help the Minutemen redress this violation of their rights of free speech and assembly.
This happens in Illinois all the time we are denied access to a meeting place, BUT the illegal aliens can have all the parties they want at any facility they want.
Who is denying them freedom of speech? No one.
Who is denying them freedom to gather? No one.
They have every right to gather and speak elsewhere.
You probably need a permit for that which would be refused for the same reasons.
The minutemen should disguise themselves as illegal immigrants because our laws don't apply to them.
Did you even read the article?
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