Thread: Police On Stand By For Immigration Meet

http://www.journal-topics.com/dp/06/dp060623.1.html

FRIDAY, JUNE 23, 2006


Police On Stand By For Immigration Meet
By CRAIG ADAMS

Journal Reporter

Des Plaines police officers will stand by to maintain security during a meeting tomorrow (Saturday) at the downtown Des Plaines Public Library regarding immigration reforms.

"We just want to make sure the citizens of Des Plaines are protected," said Police Chief James Prandini.

Paul Klein, a Des Plaines resident, planned the meeting. He wants the meeting to provide community awareness regarding the hot topic of immigration. "What's going on with the immigration snafu in Congress," he explained.

Klein hopes to attract between 50 and 120 people to the library by the 1 p.m. start. The main guest speaker, Jim Oberweis, is an Illinois politician, businessperson, and investment manager. he ran for the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate in 2002 and 2004, and for the nomination for Governor of Illinois in 2006.

"I expect a nice peaceful meeting but I will make sure that there are enough people there in case it's not peaceful so we can at least handle the issue," Prandini said.

Klein said Oberweis recently returned from a trip to the Arizona/Mexico border.

"He went down there to see what was going on," Klein explained. Besides Oberweis, Klein expects a speaker from an immigration "watchdog" group. He also plans to show videos and have a slide show presentation.

"I talked to the police chief last week," Klein said. "It's a shame that I have to do that." Klein wanted Prandini aware of the meeting due to other local gatherings ending in confrontations. He said he did not know of any nearby examples, but said he was careful because of "what I've read in the newspaper."

Prandini confirmed the meeting occurred and agreed to send officers "because of the topic that's going to be discussed."

Library Director Sandra Norlin said, "I'm told that it's in response to incidents that happened at Maryville and in Arlington Heights." She added the police department, not the library, made the decision to have officers at the presentation. "I welcome their presence."

Norlin explained the officers would be available to maintain safety and security for everyone. "They'll be here for personal safety and to protect people's rights to speak and to be heard in a safe environment."

"I'm tired of walking through a neighborhood and seeing flags flying that aren't American flags," Klein said. He complained that when he sits in his backyard, "I'm looking at this green, red, and white thing." He said he is not against legal immigration, citing his own family who arrived through Ellis Island in New York.

Prandini would not divulge the number of officers he is sending to the library, saying only there would be, "enough to take care of a problem if one arises."

Darn I wish I would have heard of this.....it's a hop skip and jump from here.

Great! That is exactly what we need, more anti-illegal immigrant speakers gathering the people and providing evidence of what illegal aliens are doing to our country.

"We just want to make sure the citizens of Des Plaines are protected," said Police Chief James Prandini.

This is a breath of fresh air.

Were there ALIPAC members present?

Were there ALIPAC members present?
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I would have been...but I didn't hear about it till it was too late.