Freedom of Speech and Assembly? Not If one is Against Illegal Immigration

[Annie]

I don't think this will be limited to CA. Seems that bthe administration and the left have at least this one thing in common:

http://michellemalkin.com/immigration/2005/05/26/02:18.pm

I've linked to the National Lawyers Guild, but there are many other links and pics to be viewed at site.

Violent lefties protest Minuteman Project
By Chris Kelly · May 26, 2005 02:18 PM

Last night Jim Gilchrist of the Minuteman Project spoke in Garden Grove, CA (in Orange County south of L.A.) Left-wing supporters of illegal immigration protested, and it got ugly.

A group of protesters surrounded a car that was trying to enter the meeting and began beating it with their signs and other objects. The driver apparently tried to slowly drive through the crowd and struck a few protesters. From the L.A. Times report "Violence Erupts at O.C. Protest":

[Garden Grove Police Lt. David Kivler] said protesters gathered around one of their cars.
"They surrounded it and started beating on it," Kivler said. Then, a second car tried to get through the crowd as well.

[B]"As he was doing so he hit at least three people," Kivler said. All three were transported to a local hospital. None had major injuries, he said.[/B]

Kivler said the crowd grew increasingly boisterous after the injuries.

He said protesters began throwing filled soda cans at the assembled Garden Grove, Anaheim and CHP officers. At least eight people were arrested on suspicion of felony assault, while others were booked for disturbing the peace...


Note that, contrary to what the LAT says, this incident apparently happened before the meeting, not afterwards. However, this report is at least better than their incredibly biased report (from two different reporters) about the similar protest in Baldwin Park. And, this article doesn't go into such things as how all those protesters got there, what groups they were affiliated with, what their signs said, and other details that might give the LAT's readers a clue to the goals of these groups. Please give faint praise to readers.rep *at* latimes.com

Reportedly, the driver was not charged and was released a few hours after the event. From the slideshow for this NBC4 report, the driver said:

"They converged onto my car, started banging with their posters and with other objects I'm not sure of... I start fearing for my life and so I went through them and some of them had to scatter out of the way."The KCBS video report is short, but slightly less biased than the LAT report. You can view that video and find links to other reports currently on the front page of this site. Unfortunately, the OC Register article "Immigration event turns hostile" doesn't even mention the violence of the protesters. I had seen a notice of this protest and I sent an email to the NYT suggesting that they cover this, but apparently they chose not to. Send an email to their ombudsman if you think this falls in their purview.

And, from the other side, there are additional reports and pictures linked to from the front page of this site, such as these pictures. What does the first picture of two protesters on the ground remind you of? And, if this protester report is to be believed, most of those protesting were Chicano(a) and at least one leader of MEChA was there.

The AP report downplays the violence perpetrated by the protesters: feedback *at* ap.org

If you live outside Southern California, you might want to realize that trends and such tend to start here and radiate outward. Protests like this might be coming your way sooner than you expect.

UPDATE: According to the Garden Grove P.D., they found at least one soda can that had been filled with marbles, and the full soda cans were brought along for throwing and not for the usual purpose.

Also, the protesters surrounded several cars as they were entering the event. The police were near the van that was surrounded but didn't do anything to remove protesters from the van because there were 300 protesters and 60 police.

UPDATE 2: Slow as a snail, the Los Angeles Times is moving towards slightly non-biased coverage of this issue. Their follow-up report "After Minuteman Melee, Protesters Have New Beef" actually mentions a couple of the organizations involved in the protest. It doesn't give background information on them, but at least it's a start. And, of course, there's the protester-centric title. And, one gets the impression that the reporters think of people like Gilchrist as representing the fringe, and the NLG as representing the center. Nevertheless, we're informed that the van driver will not be charged:

...police watched a videotape that showed protesters surrounding the vehicle, banging on it and refusing to move, said Garden Grove Police Lt. Mike Handfield. About 300 protesters at the scene were "trying to intimidate him and refused to let him pass..."
And:

James Lafferty, director of the National Lawyers Guild in Los Angeles, said he was among those struck by Netkin's van. He said staging protests at Gilchrist's events was necessary, even if it increased his profile.
"I'm glad there were people there saying something [Wednesday night]. We need to have this debate," said Lafferty, who said he was not injured. "We can't just stand and watch this."

...Police said the sign-waving protest began calmly but grew agitated when Netkin tried to enter the parking lot. In addition to surrounding his vehicle, protesters broke the window of another vehicle, Handfield said.

The protesters blocked the entrance and tossed soda cans and cans packed with marbles at police and attendees, Handfield said. They kicked, banged and threw rocks at cars; some wore latex gloves and hoods so they wouldn't be identified by police, Handfield said. Some attendees decided not to enter the building because they feared violence.

Some of the protesters paid $5 for admission to the event and alerted protesters outside when attendees were leaving the building... [the arrested protesters] face various charges, including assault with a deadly weapon and misdemeanor disorderly conduct, Handfield said...


Yes, it's good to "say something" and have a "debate". Perhaps next time, however, the protesters might consider leaving the latex gloves, the soda cans filled with marbles, and all the rest at home.

BTW: If you've never heard of the National Lawyers Guild, please click the link. And, consider sending that link to the L.A. Times so they might perhaps give a bit more information on the organizations they quote.

 

[archangel]

the ACLU to stick their big noses in this one...just a matter of time before they contact La Raza...heaven forbid a member of the "Minutemen" fears for his life...after all La Raza is a peaceful bunch!


I say ship them all home and take back our nation...let the President of Mexico clean up his own mess....!

 

[theim]

I would've just gunned it though that entire crowd. I am not even kidding. F'n hippies, no one just breaks my window.