Tuesday, March 28, 2006 9:32 a.m. EST
Illegals Demand Apology From Phoenix Mayor



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Organizers of last week's pro-illegal immigration rally in Phoenix are demanding an apology from Mayor Phil Gordon after he complained that their surprise demonstration had disrupted his city without notice.

Hector Yturralde, leader of the group Unidos en Arizona, issued the demand during a press conference outside City Hall on Sunday, according to the Arizona Republic.

Yturralde also demanded a meeting with Mayor Gordon, setting a deadline for 6 p.m. Wednesday.

Unidos en Arizona sponsored the protest which filled the Phoenix business district with 20,000 pro-illegal demonstrators.


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Yturralde said he was irked by the Phoenix mayor's complaint that organizers had given the city no notice that the march would be so big, disrupting local business and leaving many residents stranded as demonstrators blocked streets.
"It's shameful," Gordon said hours after the march. "You can't tell us that you're going to have 2,000 or 3,000 people march on the sidewalk and then turn 20,000 or 30,000 people loose in the streets.

"That's not reasonable," he insisted. "That's not safe. Yes, you can march, but you must also obey the law and exercise good judgment. That didn't happen, and too many businesses and residents had their rights trampled on."

Phoenix Councilman Greg Stanton told the Republic that his office had been bombarded with calls and emails from local residents who were upset by the massive crowd and deadlocked traffic.

"There was frustration [from businesses] that there was no notice about shutting down the streets . . . . Customers couldn't get to them, and customers could not leave if they got there before the march began."






"The way this whole thing went down did not give Phoenix an opportunity to prepare," he complained.
The mayor's office has yet to respond to Yturralde's demand for a meeting and an apology.