Antiwar protesters trash 9/11 memorial!(blood pressure riser)

Wittier Dlily news ^ | 3-11-03 | OXENinFLA

[OXENinFLA]

LA HABRA -- Antiwar protesters burned and ripped up flags, flowers and patriotic signs at a Sept. 11 memorial that residents erected on a fence along Whittier Boulevard days after the terrorist attacks in 2001 and have maintained ever since.

However, although officers witnessed the vandalism Saturday afternoon, police did not arrest three people seen damaging the display because they were "exercising the same freedom of speech that the people who put up the flags were,' La Habra Police Capt. John Rees said Monday.

"For this to be vandalism, there had to be an ill-will intent,' he said.

[OXENinFLA]

These people need to be found!

[glory]

"For this to be vandalism, there had to be an ill-will intent,' he said.>>

Umm, hello, everything about anti-war protestors is ill-will intented.

[goldstategop]

I'm not surprised the Saddam lovers would go after 9-11 next. If you sleep with the devil...

[twntaipan]

The peacniks simply hate the USA and see 911 with moral-equivalence eyes.

[Khepera]

So if someone kicked their ass wouldn't that be protected speech too?

[RedWing9]

"exercising the same freedom of speech that the people who put up the flags were,' La Habra Police Capt. John Rees said Monday

OMFG BUMP! This guy is a cop???? Sir, with all due respect, your an effing idiot. Free Speech in no way gives you a right to vandalize.

[Vigilanteman]

Chandler said she plans to rebuild the Sept. 11 memorial.

"We are going to rebuild this memorial, and it will be brighter, bigger and better than ever,' Chandler said.

If this were a memorial to, say, Martin Luther King, is there any doubt that the perps would be facing a long gaol sentance as a hate crime?

[kcvl]

These are those "wonderful compassionate" LIBERAL *astards!(not her, she's Tracey Chandler) of Whittier displays an American flag that has been burned and slashed by vandals near the informal September 11 memorial on Whittier Boulevard . (Staff photo by Bernardo Alps)

[hellinahandcart]

"For this to be vandalism, there had to be an ill-will intent,' he said.

Say what?

So if I deface or destroy someone's monument with a smile on my face, while whistling a happy tune, then I have not committed vandalism?

This is a policeman?

[RightOnline]

""For this to be vandalism, there had to be an ill-will intent,' he said."

"Oh, it's ok, Officer Dumbs**t. I beat the hell out of 'em purely out of love."

[goldstategop]

Its ok for those who hate America to vandalize her memory and that's free speech but its not ok to do anything to stop it? Gee thanks, Officers.

[observer5]

Could that qualify as a hate crime. It is targeted at a particual group of people - americans. If they had vandalized anything at a synagoge it would have been...

[goldstategop]

If they had done it to blacks guess who'd we would be hearing from. Americans? They're not politically correct enough to merit concern and outrage...

[hellinahandcart]

Tracey Chandler, a Whittier mother of four who has maintained the spontaneous memorial since it was created by other area residents soon after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, said she was shocked by the destruction.

"They trashed 87 flags, ripped 11 memorial tiles made by myself and my children out of the ground and glued the Bob Dylan song to a sign that said, 'America, land of the brave, home of the free,' ' she said.

And the police saw no ill intent to this, and just stood there and watched.

[dighton]

However, although officers witnessed the vandalism Saturday afternoon, police did not arrest three people seen damaging the display because they were "exercising the same freedom of speech that the people who put up the flags were,' La Habra Police Capt. John Rees said Monday.

"For this to be vandalism, there had to be an ill-will intent,' he said.

Idiots.

La Habra Police Department

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

"For this to be vandalism, there had to be an ill-will intent,' he said.

This Mensa member really should open his eyes...

[goldstategop]

Bob Dylan? That would be the last song I'd use to deface a 9-11 memorial. Can you spell idiots...

[Khepera]

"The Police Department is responsible for assisting in the protection of life and property through the enforcement of laws and regulation of assigned non-criminal matters."

Seems they have trashed their mission statement.

[kcvl]

Any comments, donations, etc.


Administration Building
201 East La Habra Boulevard
P.O. Box 337
La Habra, CA 90631
General Information Tel. #: (562) 905-9700
City Talk: 24-hour voicemail: (562) 905-9743

[Ron H.]

A blood boiling BUMP!!!