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Lupita Murillo Reports
Group revives allegation of police misconduct at April illegal-immigration rally

Sep 21, 2006 05:59 AM PDT

On April 10th of this year, organizations around the nation planned marches with the message of helping 11 million illegal immigrants settle in the U.S., legally.

An estimated 15,000 people took the streets here in Tucson.

But during the march, a small scuffle broke out.

No one was injured, but a girl was elbowed in the face by a Tucson police officer.

A group calling themselves Tucson April 10th Coalition is now demanding that Tucson police apologize for their actions.

It was the largest demonstration in Tucson's history. An estimated 15,000 took the streets of Tucson earlier this year on April 10th.

It was peaceful until the crowd reached Armory Park and violence broke out.

An anti-iillegal mmigrant group burned the Mexican flag, and allegedly shouted racial slurs at the crowd.

Emotions escalated. Misal Ordonez was arrested.

"I was in front of the cops. I was getting away from them when some cop pointed at me so another cop grabbed me. They throw me to the ground and started beating me," Ordonez says.

Meeting in front of the Tucson Police Department, members of Derechos Humanos and a group called Tucson April 10th Coalition demanded an apology from Tucson Police and the city for allowing an anti-illegal immigrant group to protest in the middle of Armory Park and for using excessive force.

Alexis Mazon says, "We are calling on the police chief and the city to insure our safety at future peaceful protests and events that we will continue to organize for human rights, for immigrant rights for the well being and prosperity of this community."

Tucson Police say they've investigated the April 10th incident and found their officers were in compliance with the department's regulations.

Capt. Brett Klein says, "We don't choose sides, and we don't defend one side over the other. In this particular case we were there to preserve the peace and to make sure people didn't get hurt as well as to make sure people were able to exercise their first amendment rights on which ever side of the issue they happen to be on."

So what does the public think?

We went to the Ronstadt Transit Center to find out.

Rene Moreno says, "I think they should aplogize. On the other hand, I think they were doing their job."

Jacob Swift says, "They need to apologize."

Matthew Petit says, "I think they were just doing their job. I don't think they were taking sides."

Mark Tark says, "I think they were doing their job. I don't think they need to apologize."

There will be a multi-media theatre performance, Tucson on Trial, this Saturday, at 5:00 p.m., at Sunnyside High School.

Organizers say, it's open to the public.

Admission is free.