Thread: Vandalism During School Walk-Outs

Police Handle Reports Of Vandalism
Residents Concerned Over Student Prostests

POSTED: 7:48 pm MST March 31, 2006

March 31, 2006 -- KFOX spoke with El Paso Police Chief Richard Wiles. He says Friday was the largest turnout of student protesters, with more than 4,100 throughout El Paso walking out of class. Chief Wiles confirms they did have several reports of vandalism but he says they were minimal. However for El Pasoans, even one incident was just too much.

"I could hear them splashing the car with something until all of a sudden then I heard the rock come through the window," said Leila McClendon. She had to have her back car window replaced. It was broken and she was shaken, after she encountered one mob of student protesters Friday in Northeast El Paso. She says they were belligerent with the public.

At a Diamond Shamrock in East El Paso, another incident. Store surveillance video shows kids trickling in to the store, then within a matter of seconds dozens of kids start flowing in. Then the students are seen quickly moving out. Store managers say many took merchandise.

"They started tossing things around. I guess they got scared or getting rowdy," said Yoli Nakashima, Diamond Shamrock store manager.

At police headquarters, law enforcement has been keeping track. For the last three days they've been monitoring protesters and say incidents have been minimal. Chief Wiles says when you're dealing with so many kids, you have to consider everyone's rights.

"Many times it's a balancing act between the rights of the protesters to assemble and speak versus the rights of other citizens who are trying to use roadways," said Wiles.

Although there was no major criminal element, Chief Wiles says the school districts must take action now. "Should they pay for missing school? Absolutely.. they need to be held accountable. The school districts need to take action," the Chief told KFOX.

http://www.kfoxtv.com/news/8395469/deta ... 32006&ts=H

This same page has several videos of the trouble in el Paso, Tx with student walk outs. I don't knwo why they wait three days to show it but apprarently they needed to edit out a lot of footage. After all, the public shouldn't know what REALLY happened, should they? And this is the BEST of the stations for actual coverage in this area.

I don't know why they feel they have to candy coat this either because it will come to their neighborhood too.

Crazybird, it IS in their neighborhoods. That is why I don't understand the censorship. We have reporters come and go by the dozens around here. I don't know if it is because of the censorship, because they get less pay because of the high number of illegals, or if it is just because this is such a crappy, hot, dirty, border city filled with people who don't or won't speak English. But they don't stay and I don't blame them.

"Many times it's a balancing act between the rights of the protesters to assemble and speak versus the rights of other citizens who are trying to use roadways," said Wiles.

Isn't there some sort of law there against impeding the free flow of traffic?

tsk....There are certain rules that a 'protest' is supposed to follow...first permission from the city must be granted...and protesters may not block traffic, etc.

Handling vandalism with kid gloves is nonsense.

RR

Exactly-- and the cops should have rounded all those kids up at the nearest school stadium (and we have several here) started writing them tickets for impeding traffic, public nuisense, etc, and then called their parents to come get them and pay the fine.

And treating vandals with kid gloves has always been an issue here. The cops get into trouble faster than the kids do.