VIDEO: Anti illegal immigration group hit with bottles, balloons, police injured
Posted on Monday, August 20 @ 10:23:50 EDT
Topic: illegal immigration alien riots crimes
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 SEATTLE -- What were supposed to be two separate protests by two
opposing groups turned violent when the one group grew confrontational
and threw balloons and beer bottles at its opposition on Saturday.
Some 200 people gathered to protest against what they claim is
President Bush's support of a North American union which, the
protesters claim, would eliminate U.S. sovereignty.
"Not every illegal immigrant is a criminal - we understand that,
but we are allowing people into this nation who are doing us harm,"
said Jonnie Crivello, a protester.
The protesters gathered at the Seattle Center and marched down
Third Avenue to the Federal Building. While rallied there, they were
bombed with beer cans and balloons by counter-protesters who were
holding their own rally, prompting police to intervene.
Topics: illegal immigrant supporters attack, SPP, NAU, Washington, Security and Prosperity Partnership, anarchists, socialists, violence
Aug 18, 2007 at 7:01 PM PDT
By KOMO Staff
About 50 counter-protesters were present, claiming shutting down the border is a racist act.
"We say no
human being is illegal and everybody - just by working here -
automatically has the right to live here," said Jorge Torres, a
counter-protester.
Police said many of their officers were hurt during the protests. No arrests were made.
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Two groups clash over immigration in downtown Seattle
By Dominic Gates
Seattle Times staff reporter
About 75 demonstrators marched against illegal immigration and a
perceived threat to U.S. sovereignty through downtown Seattle on
Saturday.
A slightly smaller but raucous pro-immigrant demonstration shadowed the march on Second Avenue.
The confrontation grew briefly ugly when marchers assembled for
speeches outside the Federal Building. A group of fewer than 10
black-clad, masked counterprotesters marshaled behind wooden shields,
threw water bombs and tried to cross the street to the main rally.
Seattle police used pepper spray to force the group back. One person was arrested afterward.
Leaders of the initial protest, including representatives of the
John Birch Society and the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps, claim the
Bush administration intends to subordinate the U.S. government to an
international body that would govern all of North America, including
Canada and Mexico.
The demonstration, which had a city permit, was timed to protest
the Monday summit meeting in Canada of President Bush with Canadian
Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Mexican President Felipe Calderón.
On the agenda is economic and security cooperation. But Saturday's marchers see something more sinister and secret.
Billed as March for America Washington, the protest was organized
by 30-year-old Jonnie Crivello, who said she works in high-tech in
Seattle.
Crivello said a "world global elite" is attempting to create a
"one-world government." A "North American Union" that would effectively
merge the U.S., Canada and Mexico is a first step, she said.
Crivello led an eclectic crowd.
Becky Lemon, 33, was part of a contingent from Yakima concerned
about illegal immigration. Marching beside her, also wearing an
anti-illegal-immigrant T-shirt, was her son, Matthew Campos, 13.
What does her U.S.-born, Mexican-American husband, a police officer
in Yakima, think of her protest? "I don't talk to him about it," Lemon
said
Ironically, the countermarch included radical groups as opposed to globalization as were the leaders of the main protest.
"There are real problems with free trade," said Allan Paulson,
president of the Washington Fair Trade Coalition, "but let's not blame
immigrants."
Ted Moree, 22, of Seattle, infiltrated the main march carrying a
black anarchist flag and wearing a big smile as marchers tried to stop
him from talking.
"I don't believe in borders. No one is illegal," Moree said.
He noted the irony that marchers on both sides oppose the idea of a North American free-trade union.
"We came to the same conclusions for radically different reasons,"
Moree said. "I'm afraid of CEOs exploiting workers everywhere and
pitting them against each other."
The masked protesters were less congenial than Moree.
"A group hiding their faces and hiding behind shields confronted my
officers," said Seattle police Lt. Jim Fitzgerald. "That's definitely a
threatening gesture."
One masked youth who had just been sprayed identified himself as
Michael B. and said he was from Portland. After the brief melee, his
group headed up to Third Avenue carrying their shields, tailed by a
posse of police on bikes.
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