Thread: FL-Graffiti leads to hate crime arrest

Graffiti leads to hate crime arrest
Monday, Sep. 29, 2008
Comments (12) | Recommend (1)

By ROBERT NAPPER - HERALD STAFF WRITER

MANATEE - A man accused of writing discriminatory graffiti against immigrants on a sign and posting it near a church retreat complex has been arrested on a hate crime charge, according to a Manatee County Sheriff's Office report.

Sheriff's deputies arrested Williams H. Garrison, 61, Friday after a witness reported seeing him write the graffiti on a Florida Immigrant Coalition sign, which over the weekend held a 160-member conference at Christian Retreat, in the 1200 block of Glory Way Boulevard.

The witness told deputies Garrison then took the sign and put in on property next to the Christian Retreat. Florida Immigrant Coalition members told deputies they were "upset and fearful" after seeing the signs.


Deputies charged Garrison with criminal mischief with hate crime enhancements allowed by law, according to reports. He was being held in the Manatee County jail on $2,400 bond.

http://www.bradenton.com/news/breaking_ ... 17813.html

Florida Immigrant Coalition members told deputies they were "upset and fearful" after seeing the signs.

WHO FREAKIN CARES IF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS ARE "UPSET AND FEARFUL". I am getting so sick of this line. THEN LEAVE!

He didnt destroy any property did he? He was using his free speech rights. THIS ISNT A "HATE" CRIME.

What did the graffiti say? "All illegal aliens are criminals and must leave"????

The guy only committed a minor crime by defacing the precious illegals sign. This hate crime baloney is how the communists trump up any charge to make it into a major offense. If the Illegals are offended then screw them---GO HOME!!!

We should definitely notify some of the lawyers with the anti-illegal organizations to help this guy get decent counsel. And as for this idiot sheriff and his goon squad, all honest citizens should march down to his office in force and show him some real hate.

There are two very important elements that are overtly missing from this article.

As we are the ones that are trained to notice what is missing from Big Brother news.

A. What was written on the sign?

B. What are the penalties of the charges this man is facing?

We need answers.

W

Coming from a comment on the article

"He wrote "No Mex" and "Get Illegal Aliens Out of Florida" twice, on each side of the sign in black marker."

Nothing about the charges though.

Now if he was destroying some one elses property I could understand the charges BUT they are violating HIS right to "Freedom of Speech" nothing in the constitutions says a thing about HATE crimes

Freedom of speech or urban terrorists? This was on a fence across from my children's school... The next day a rival gang crossed it out and a fierce fence spraying battle began. Wish I had a picture of that...

What destructive scum they are!!