Group says it was kicked out of park, restaurant
Group says it was kicked out of park, restaurant
About 50 people meet to discuss immigration
By Tillie Fong, Rocky Mountain News
May 24, 2005
WESTMINSTER - A group of people meeting to discuss illegal immigration Sunday claim they were kicked out of both a restaurant and a city park because employees or patrons didn't like their stand on the issue.
"It baffles me," said Michael Corbin, host of a radio talk show, A Closer Look, on KHNC-AM (1360), who had organized the meeting.
"I can be a little more understanding about what happened in the restaurant if those people in the kitchen were concerned about what we were talking about. But there were few people in the park, and they could not hear us or interact with us. I don't know why we were thrown out of the park."
Westminster Police Chief Dan Montgomery said he was told the group was asked to leave Christopher Fields because ballplayers had complained. "We had leagues playing there and several of the ballplayers complained that (this group) was so loud, they were disturbing the games," he said.
Corbin said he estimated about 50 people had gathered at Jackson's All-American Sports Grill, 10710 Westminster Blvd., at 2 p.m. for a meeting in a reserved room toward the back of the restaurant. Corbin said he invited Terry Graham, a Boulder resident, to speak at the gathering. Corbin characterized the group as primarily conservative and in favor of strict immigration controls.
It was during Graham's comments that Corbin said the assistant manager of the restaurant motioned him over.
"He said, 'You got to shut this down and leave immediately,' " said Corbin.
Corbin said he was trying to get the microphone to make an announcement that the meeting had to close, when a Hispanic man charged out of the kitchen and snatched the microphone from Graham.
"He said, 'This is over. Everybody pay your bill and leave. If you don't, we will call the police,' " Corbin said.
The group complied and left the restaurant after paying their bills.
A woman who answered the phone at the restaurant Monday said, "We do not wish to comment" on the incident.
About 25 people in the group decided to continue the meeting at nearby Christopher Fields, at 104th Avenue.
At about 4:30 p.m., 45 minutes after the group had arrived, Westminster police officer Tim Torres approached the group and asked everyone to leave.
Corbin said Torres told the group that "this as an inappropriate place for that and that you have to leave. He made us leave and we left. He was very stern about it."
Westminster Chief Montgomery said he has assigned investigator Kevin Beren with the professional standards unit to investigate the matter further.
"We're getting some conflicting information and we needed to do more interviews," he said. "We are looking into the matter further. I want to get to the bottom of this."
Montgomery said he's asking members of the group and any other witnesses to call 303-430-2400 and ask the operator to direct their call to Beren.
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Police probe park eviction
Discussion about immigration spurred ouster in Westminster
By Tillie Fong, Rocky Mountain News
May 25, 2005
WESTMINSTER - Police are investigating the ouster of a group discussing immigration policies from a city park on Sunday.
"We're trying to sort out what the truth is, where's the middle ground, and what's reasonable and appropriate," Westminster police spokesman Tim Read said Tuesday.
A group of 50 people assembled by Michael Corbin, host of A Closer Look on KHNC-AM (1360 AM), first met at Jackson's All American Sports Grill, 10710 Westminster Blvd., on Sunday to talk about immigration issues and what citizens could do to change policies.
The group, which Corbin characterized as favoring strict immigration controls, was told by restaurant staff members to leave.
When some members of the group moved to nearby Christopher Fields off 104th Avenue to continue the meeting, they were told by Westminster police officer Tim Torres that the park was not an appropriate venue for their meeting and that they should leave.
"I'm still trying to evaluate what's happening," said Corbin on Tuesday. "We can't seem to get a straight answer from anybody - either at the restaurant or the park. Why didn't we get other options? It seems strange to me that we were dealt (with) this way right off the bat."
Tuesday, the Ziegler family that owns the Westminster Jackson's franchise issued a statement saying the group was asked to leave after several patrons complained.
"Jackson's All American Sports Grill regrets when any person is requested to leave its premises; however, Jackson's does not and will not allow conduct by anyone which interferes with the peaceful enjoyment of food and drink by our customers," the statement read.
Corbin said he was puzzled that his group wasn't first asked to "tone it down" if it was disturbing customers.
Bill Walenczak, director of the city's Parks, Recreation and Libraries department, said Tuesday that the pavilion area at Christopher Fields is a public area. "They had every right to go to the ball fields and view what's going on, and even talk among themselves if they wanted," he said.
"There's nothing wrong with them doing that. But we draw the line if they were disruptive to the scheduled activities."
Walenczak said that at least two softball games were being played at the complex Sunday afternoon, and that it was the players who complained about Corbin's group.
Any witnesses to the events are asked to call investigator Kevin Beren at 303-430-2400 and ask the operator to transfer the call to him.
KHOW-AM (630) radio contributed to this report.
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