Thread: AZ. Immigrant Rights Leader Arrested at Capitol

Immigrant Rights Leader Arrested at Capitol

Updated: Thursday, 24 Feb 2011, 7:17 PM MST
Published : Thursday, 24 Feb 2011, 7:17 PM MST

PHOENIX - We're hearing that Salvador Reza, a Phoenix immigrant rights activist, was arrested Thursday at the State Capitol.

According to Reza's group, Reza and colleague Anayanse Garza were filing paperwork when they were arrested by Capitol Police about 3 p.m.

Supporters are holding a vigil outside of 4th Ave Jail. It's not clear why they are being held.

Reza has been arrested several times in the past and has even sued Sheriff Joe Arpaio for wrongful arrest.

http://www.myfoxphoenix.com/dpp/news/im ... -2-24-2011

Immigration activist accused of trespassing at Capitol

by JJ Hensley and Jason Pacini -
Feb. 24, 2011 06:00 PM
The Arizona Republic

Phoenix activist Salvador Reza was arrested and accused of trespassing at the State Capitol Thursday afternoon.

Reza and one other activist, Anayanse Garza, were taken to the Maricopa County Fourth Avenue Jail around 5 p.m., though authorities have not released any additional information. A handful of Reza's supporters gathered outside the jail saying they would not leave until he is released.

A Capitol police spokesman has not returned phone calls for comment.

Reza was arrested twice during the protests that surrounded the enforcement of Arizona's controversial immigration law last summer. One of those charges was later dismissed for lack of probable cause. Reza is challenging the other with a group of demonstrators who were arrested on the same day.

http://www.azcentral.com/news/election/ ... -abrk.html

Police arrest immigration activists in Senate lobby

by Mary K. Reinhart and JJ Hensley - Feb. 25, 2011 12:00 AM
The Arizona Republic

Police arrested immigration activist Salvador Reza on suspicion of trespassing Thursday after he refused to leave the state Senate, and another activist could face assault charges stemming from a suspected shoving match with an officer.

Reza and Anayanse Garza were booked into Maricopa County's Fourth Avenue Jail about 5 p.m., marking six arrests during a highly charged week at the Capitol.

The pair walked into the Senate lobby about 2 p.m. Department of Public Safety officers told Reza he was banned from the building, with approval from Senate President Russell Pearce. Records show that when Reza refused to leave, he was handcuffed, and taken into a nearby room, with Garza trailing behind, according to police reports.

Records show that when an officer told Garza to leave, she pushed him in the chest. The two scuffled in the hallway, and Garza was arrested in connection with aggravated assault on a police officer, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct, according to the report.

Sen. Steve Gallardo, D-Phoenix, said he saw police arrest Garza. He accused Pearce of singling out Reza, who was among protesters at Tuesday's marathon committee hearing.

"We're not just going to let him pick and choose who he wants in the building," Gallardo said.

Pearce said Thursday evening that he's left it to officers to decide who's allowed in the Senate. If people have been disruptive, he said, officers are within their rights to keep them out.

"We're not going to put up with people who come down here and commit disorderly conduct and interfere with other people's rights," Pearce said.

Capitol police arrested four people Tuesday, including radio host Carlos Galindo, on suspicion of disorderly conduct charges after they were accused of disrupting a news conference.



Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/news/election/ ... z1Eytxtjft

Police arrested immigration activist Salvador Reza on suspicion of trespassing Thursday after he refused to leave the state Senate, and another activist could face assault charges stemming from a suspected shoving match with an officer.

These people are scum bags who have no respect for authority or this country! This behavior and attitude is indicative of the 20 million illegal invaders in this country, who refuse to obey our laws and continue to DEMAND preferential treatment by our government.

They all need to be rounded up and deported post haste!

Arizona immigration law-hearing leads to arrests, barring of 2


by Mary K. Reinhart - Feb. 26, 2011 12:00 AM
The Arizona Republic

Six people were arrested at the state Senate and at least two people barred from returning during a raucous week surrounding illegal-immigration legislation.

Senate President Russell Pearce said the incidents "threatened the safety of our members, staff and the public," and he vowed tighter scrutiny of visitors, but the clashes raise questions about security procedures at the Capitol and who enforces them.

Immigration activist Salvador Reza said that when he walked into the Senate lobby Thursday, security officers told him that Pearce had ordered him banned from the building because of the rowdy behavior of an overflow crowd at Tuesday's Appropriations Committee hearing. A police document says Reza was told Tuesday not to return.

When he refused to leave, state Department of Public Safety officers arrested Reza on suspicion of trespassing. He faces a March 16 court hearing.

"They never told me not to come back," Reza said. "If I had known that, do you think I'd get arrested for fun?"

Senate Sergeant at Arms Joe Kubacki said he asked Reza on Tuesday night to quiet the crowd, which he estimated at 350 people, after their cheers and applause could be heard in the hearing room across the hall.

Reza said officers told him people would be removed if they didn't calm down. The hearing continued until after 2 a.m., but no one was ejected.

In a statement, Pearce called Reza the "prime agitator." He said Tuesday night's crowd, the disruption of a news conference earlier in the day that led to four arrests, and the Thursday arrests of Reza and fellow activist Anayanse Garza "were dangerous situations that required prompt law enforcement."

"When people create disturbances and threaten members and the public, law enforcement is required and expected to step in," Pearce said. "In the future, we will be much more vigilant over misconduct by anyone visiting this building."

Pearce said Thursday that he left it up to Kubacki and DPS officers to decide who should be allowed back in the Senate after they told him about the boisterous immigration group.

"Law enforcement barred him from the building," Pearce said. "I told my folks to find out who was in there, and they won't be invited back."

Legislative hearings typically are staid affairs, where applause and other outbursts are prohibited. Outside on the lawn and in the space between the House and Senate, however, it's a different story. There, hundreds have gathered in recent months for loud, often heated, immigration protests.

In his statement Friday, Pearce said the state Constitution gives him authority over the Senate building. He used the same reasoning when questioned last month about whether members can carry weapons in the Senate even though state law prohibits the public from doing so.

But Sen. Steve Gallardo, D-Phoenix, who saw Reza's arrest on Thursday, said Pearce should not have the power to keep people out of a public building.

House and Senate security is provided by members of the Capitol Police, DPS and a sergeant at arms for each chamber.

Phoenix attorney Dan Barr, who specializes in constitutional law, said admittance to public buildings isn't guaranteed.

"You don't have the right under the First Amendment to disrupt government from conducting business," he said. "You don't have sort of the heckler's veto."

Capitol police arrested four people Tuesday, including radio host Carlos Galindo, on suspicion of disorderly-conduct charges after they were accused of disrupting a news conference in a Senate hearing room.

Galindo, who was cited and released, was later prevented from attending the Appropriations Committee hearing.

Gallardo has filed a public-records request with Pearce's office for documents relating to the exclusion of anyone from the Senate. The Arizona Republic has filed a similar request.

"We're trying to find out where he thinks he gets this authority to ban people," Gallardo said. "We may disagree on many issues, but you don't bar someone because you don't agree with what they're saying."

www.azcentral.com

Maricopa County Fourth Avenue Jail

Maricopa County...Sheriff Joe may have an outside tent waiting with pink clothes if they receive jail sentences!

Salvador Reza evidently enjoys being arrested. He's a frequent flier at Maricopa County Jail.

Dixie

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http://www.alipac.us/article6108.html

Video at Source:

Immigration activist is arrested for walking into Senate building, told he's 'not welcome'

Posted: 02/26/2011
Last Updated: 8 hours and 44 minutes ago
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