http://www.kfmb.com/stories/story.64345.html

Sanctuary City Plan Leads To Heated Protests

Last Updated:
09-23-06 at 5:02PM

National City was the scene of a fight over illegal immigration Saturday.

Critics of mayor Nick Inzunza are upset with what they see as a plan to declare National City a sanctuary for illegal immigrants.

Saturday, local minuteman clashed with Inzunza's supporters.

On one side of the street there was a minuteman rally. On the other side were migrant suporters. In the middle were 130 officers who were called in to keep the peace, and law enforcement needed every one of them.

Things got very heated early on in the rally when small group dressed as clowns crossed over onto the wrong side of the street to mock the minutemen.

One of the clown organizers claimed a minuteman pepper sprayed him.

"Well it hurts a lot but it's only about time that I guess they respond to a non-violent protest with a form of violence," he said.

But the minutemen said the man was faking his injuries and that he was only sprayed with water.

Police said they arrested one man on the minutemen side of the street for kicking an officer, and migrant supporters said the arrest proves their point that minutemen are racist troublemakers.

"These are a bunch of yahoos that represent the worst of the American spirit, that's what that minutemen movement is all about," said one migrant supporter. "This country is much better than that."

But those in support of the minutemen said they are law-abiding citizens who simply want a secure borders.

"It is not about hate or racism it is only about the process legal immigration anybody can come to this country we all have but legally."