Posted on 05/26/2005 3:01:03 AM PDT by calcowgirl
GARDEN GROVE An event honoring an anti-illegal immigrant leader tonight was marred by altercations between anti-immigration activists and protesters, resulting in an arrest when two demonstrators were hit by a slow-moving van.
The driver was Hal Netkin of Van Nuys, said Barbara Coe, chairwoman of the California Coalition for Immigration Reform.
Protesters were blocking a driveway when Netkin tried to drive through and knocked two demonstrators to the ground, Deputy Police Chief K.J. Raney said.
Netkin was arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon. At least one of the protesters was hospitalized.
"Knowing (Netkin), he panicked," Coe said.
Billy Hall, a member of Coes group, said shortly afterward that his car window was broken by a protester. Hall said he filed a police report.
The event sponsored by Coes group honored Aliso Viejo resident Jim Gilchrist. Gilchrists Minuteman Project last month attracted nearly 900 people to patrol a stretch of Arizona border in an effort to stop entry by illegal immigrants. The effort was praised by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger but condemned by President George W. Bush, who called the volunteers "vigilantes."
"Im damned proud to be a vigilante," Gilchrist told the 150 people assembled at the Garden Grove Womens Club. "How about you?"
He received a rousing ovation. He also said that deporting the millions of people in the country illegally would lower home prices, reduce traffic congestion and lower taxes.
Nearly 100 protesters picketed and chanted on the sidewalk. One sign read, "Beat Back the Racist Attack."
"Their racist acts are being masked by patriotism," said Obed Sanchez of Garden Grove. "To say illegal immigrants are coming over here and ruining our lives is ridiculous. We need immigrants like a tree needs water. Even President Bush recognizes that."
(Excerpt) Read more at ocregister.com ...
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/state/la-me-minuteman26may26,1,2210132.story?coll=la-news-state
Los Angeles Times
May 26, 2005
By Monte Morin and David Reyes, Times Staff Writers
Violence Erupts at O.C. Protest
Crowd gets rough and police swarm in after a Minuteman event in Garden Grove.
Three people were injured and at least eight arrested Wednesday in Garden Grove after a motorist drove into a crowd of 300 demonstrators protesting a speech by the founder of the Minuteman Project, authorities said.
The Minuteman Project is a citizens group that patrols the U.S.-Mexico border in an effort to stop illegal immigration.
The demonstrators had gathered at the Women's Civic Club of Garden Grove on Chapman Avenue about 7:30 p.m. to protest an appearance by James Gilchrist, charging that he and his group were racist.
Gilchrist has denied those claims and insists the group is stopping only illegal immigration. His talk was sponsored by Citizens for Action Now, an anti-illegal immigration group.
The motorist had attended Gilchrist's speech and was leaving when protesters began hitting his van with placards and other objects, said Garden Grove Police Lt. David Kivler. The driver, who was not identified but spoke to a KCAL-TV Channel 9 reporter, said he gunned his car engine to get away from the crowd. The man was arrested.
Authorities said the incident occurred when 100 listeners attempted to leave through the crowd of demonstrators. Kivler said protesters gathered around one of their cars.
"They surrounded it and started beating on it," Kivler said. Then, a second car tried to get through the crowd as well.
"As he was doing so he hit at least three people," Kivler said. All three were transported to a local hospital. None had major injuries, he said.
Kivler said the crowd grew increasingly boisterous after the injuries.
He said protesters began throwing filled soda cans at the assembled Garden Grove, Anaheim and CHP officers. At least eight people were arrested on suspicion of felony assault, while others were booked for disturbing the peace.
(snip)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2002288984_ndig26.html
Seattle Times
May 26, 2005
Garden Grove, Calif.
Driver rams protesters at Minuteman speech
At least two people were injured and at least eight arrested yesterday in Garden Grove after a motorist drove into a crowd of 300 demonstrators protesting a speech by the founder of the Minuteman Project, authorities said.
The Minuteman Project is a conservative citizens group that patrols the U.S.-Mexico border in an effort to stop illegal immigration.
A man and a woman were struck and injured by the motorist, who had attended the speech by James Gilchrist and was leaving when protesters began hitting his van with placards and other objects. The driver, who was not identified but spoke to a KCAL-TV reporter, said he gunned his engine to get away from the crowd. The man was arrested.
Someone please tell Bush that we're drowning already.
Don't drink from that well!
The protestor is nuts. All he wants is to give precedental entry to lawbreakers.
Name brand soda purchased with food stamps?
300 Protestors throwing rocks, bricks etc and the guy in the car leaving gets busted. What absolute bullsh*t.
Even if TV news was there, you'll never see it on the tube. It's against media policy to show Mexicans in bad form.
The folks at the Minuteman meeting should have had numerous video cameras hidden at every angle. With these morons, it's the only way to go.
How did I know that the Minutemen were the ones that were goin to be made out to be the bad guys?
Its like illgals are immune to most our laws. They can come here and commit all sorts of crimes that citizens are not allowed to commit.
Hell, they have more rights than anyone else......
(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)
"Their racist acts are being masked by patriotism," said Obed Sanchez of Garden Grove. "To say illegal immigrants are coming over here and ruining our lives is ridiculous. We need immigrants like a tree needs water. Even President Bush recognizes that."
Sanchez is a liar.
These people are not "immigrants". Immigrants follow the law, apply for citizenship and contribute to our society.
These criminals are illegal invaders. They steal jobs, lower salaries, rob our citizens of benefits and committ other crimes once they get here. Sanchez is employing the doublespeak of the far left and the tactics of the "protestors" here are just like those of leftists everywhere. Attack your opponents physically and then when they defend themselves, cry assault. The rqcist canard here exists only inSanchez' warped mind. It has nothing to do with race and everything to do with stopping illegal invaders and allowing the American people to determine who comes here and from what countries and when.
I wonder if Mr. Sanchez was born here or slipped across the border during one of those many previous "amesties".
As for quoting Bush on this subject, Bush is just wrong, which is one of the reasons his ratings in the polls have been dropping.
Americans have had it with illegal aliens and individuals like Sanchez who defend them.
Give the protestors to mexico, i'm sure they will take care of them in a real nice way. ;)
Could have been a Reginald Denny moment, I dont blame the diver for panicing. Hundreds beating on my vehicle, I would have done the same thing. It seems the only way to stop illegals is by vigilantism, I suppose Bush is waiting for full scale immigrant riots before waking the hell up.
Yes, and I hope every single one of them has at least one camera when they go on patrol. Confrontations are going to happen with protesters when the Minutemen are at the border, I think. I hope they also have photo ID badges or some other way of ensuring that these agitators cannot either infiltrate the Minutemen or impersonate them to the press.
Two hurt, eight arrested in Orange County protest against Minuteman Project
May 25, 2005
After the speech, a driver trying to leave the club slowly drove through the crowd and two people fell and suffered minor injuries. The protesters surrounded the van and started banging on it.
The driver, Hal Netkin, was arrested for investigation of assault with a deadly weapon. At least eight protesters were arrested for investigation of felony assault.
ping
Hal Netkin just called in. He was released by the police last night and he was not charged with anything.
Regarding last night, he said he was trying to enter the parking lot (using the only entrance that hadn't been cordoned off) and as he approached the entrance, he was surrounded by people on the sidewalk blocking his car.
They were banging on his car, ripped off one of the windshield wipers while (according to Hal) the police did nothing but stare at him. He then starting slowly moving forward trying to enter the lot and didn't know that anyone had been injured.
Hal Netkin was just on with Doug McIntrye (KABC radio, Los Angeles) and gave his version of the story. He claims the media reports are full of errors. First of all, the incident occurred at the beginning of the rally, not the end. The counter-protestors, approximately 150, were well-organized and hostile. When Netkin drove up a group of around 40 of them surrounded his car and began banging on it, ripped the windshield wiper off, throwing projectiles (rocks, etc.) and he began to fear for his life. He looked to the 6 Garden Grove police officers right in the near distance for help but insists they just stood there, stared at what was unfolding, and did absolutely nothing. He figured if the police wouldn't come to him, he would go to them. He began moving his car slowly forward towards the police, which did seem to break up the protest group. The police then came and removed him from his car and took him to jail in handcuffs, charging him with assault with a deadly weapon.
Once in jail he was put in a cell with a few other protestors. When he asked what they were being charged with they said, "Disturbing the peace." Netkin was later released and, as far as he knows, not charged.
Doug McIntyre commented that he was interviewed Netkin a number of times previously and has found him to be a truthful person. His comment was "What can we expect when our government endorses lawlessness?" (i.e., supports illegal immigration.)
Doug McIntyre is the best thing on talkradio. I nominate him as an honarary FReeper.
What a load of garbage this report (and reporter) are. Makes it sound like the motorist was at fault. Could just as well be written as follows:
Three people were injured and at least eight arrested Wednesday in Garden Grove when a motorist fearing for his safety tried to escape a crowd of 300 demonstrators who had turned violent while protesting a speech by the founder of the Minuteman Project, authorities said.

300 Protestors throwing rocks, bricks etc and the guy in the car leaving gets busted. What absolute bullsh*t.
Yeah, what Charlie Chan said....
"The folks at the Minuteman meeting should have had numerous video cameras hidden at every angle. With these morons, it's the only way to go."
You got that straight! Webcam would also be nice. People could tape it from somewhere else. The 'Law' likes to seize and bury video tapes these days.
I agree.
BTW, you did a much better job of reporting Hal's call than I did. Thanks for posting it.
...condemned by President George W. Bush, who called the volunteers "vigilantes."...
Impeach this bozo.
Thanks. I always wanted to be a reporter. :-)
============================
An event honoring an anti-illegal immigrant leader tonight was marred by altercations between anti-immigration activists and protesters, resulting in an arrest when two demonstrators were hit by a slow-moving van.The driver was Hal Netkin of Van Nuys, said Barbara Coe, chairwoman of the California Coalition for Immigration Reform.
Protesters were blocking a driveway when Netkin tried to drive through and knocked two demonstrators to the ground, Deputy Police Chief K.J. Raney said.
Netkin was arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon. At least one of the protesters was hospitalized.
"Knowing (Netkin), he panicked," Coe said.
BTTT
Probaly 300 citezens of mexico who have invaded the USA and broke more laws throwing things at and scaring the driver of the van half to death. He could have been pulled from the van and beatent to death by the mob, instead he was arrested but the lawbreakers go free.
America is lost.
BTTT
Hal Netkin was just on with Doug McIntrye ....
Hal is an old retired fellow. He could get a heart attack from such violent harassment by the Mexican protesters.
I fought the car and the car won,
I fought the car and the car won.
I'm wondering if this was a set-up. The van gets pelted (not only do these protestors support the invasion, they object to the citizens' right to assembly), tries to escape, and some of these loons step in front of it.
This is an indication that the Minutemen are succeeding, and getting publicity. Everything is going to have to be documented, photographed, and lawyered....the only right these protestors care about is the right to not have to mow their own lawns and clean their own houses.
Gee, the Seattle Times isn't too biased, is it? Every other report has Netkin slowly driving his car forward. The Seattle Times makes it look like he deliberately rammed into people!
Absolutely right. Most of them probably are illegals. They have no fear of U.S. "law enforcement" anymore.
But it's better than that for them -- the cops are now on their side. Leading to the question: which people, and which country, do the police get their legitimacy from? Who do they "serve"?
The police are nothing more than private citizens (we hope they are actually citizens) hired to do a job that the citizens themselves believe needs to be done by a trained group: enforcing their laws. The police are not a sovereign entity unto themselves, nor are they elected. They derive their legitimacy as a force from the citizenry.
If they now side with the citizens of another country against the citizenry which legitimizes them, they are no longer a legitimate force. In the case of the Garden Grove cops, and a fair number of police forces in California, this is what has happened.
Bush does deserved to be impeached for ignoring/encouraging the invasion of tens of millions of illegals. Government admits to 10 million illegals here, the real number is some where between 20 or 30 million. Keep voting GOP for more (much more) of the same.
Sad.
They aren't protestors. They're terrorists. Plain and simple, they are Mexican separatist terrorists, foreigners who will use force and violence to occupy and control the people and land mass of the United States in loyalty to another country and another people. Period.
Where are the troops, required by our Constitution, to "suppress insurrection and rebellion"?
We should all have a lot of respect and praise for people like Glenn Spencer, Barb Coe, Gilchrist, etc. because these brave people have risked a lot to stand up to sound the warning as to what's been happening with illegal imm. over the last decade while most of us have been sound asleep or toally distracted. The American public which has so dumbed down by the MSM created stupor over MJ, Martha, Scott, etc. that it needs a swift kick in the ass to wake up. Also, we're starting to see the mask slowly coming off these anti-American, Aztlan loving groups who's cover story was always 'they were created to protect the human rights of the poor, scared, looking for work illegal immigrants' when nothing could be further from the truth.
As Glenn Spencer has pointed out repeatedly.....the Ford Foundation, MECHA, La Raza, etc. are subcomponents of a nation wrecking machine that's been operating at full throttle for many years now.
Thanks for posting this calcowgirl.
A friend of mine said they had backpacks full of unopened soda, ready to do just what they did.
I heard that the police were'nt doing anything to stop the protesters, so I can imagine what it was like for Hal.
When the MinuteMen restart their border patrols again in June, people plan to physically interfere with their operations. They will go to wherever the MinuteMen are in their area and stop them from operating. More info will be passed on later of their locations. Until then, people are anonymously and autonomously acting against the MinuteMen using electronic disturbance.
Well... As Tom McClintock just said a few minutes ago on KSFO... "If you will not control your borders, you don't even have a country! The most basic function of our Federal Government is shamefully being shirked!"
Mrs. Wasp has often said that she'd love to see the Good Sam Club organize a bumper-to-bumper blockade for a thousand miles of diesel pushers with America's Greatest Generation manning and womaning machine guns mounted atop this "Chinese Wall" of car-barns!!!
Sounds even better than a danged tea party, to me!!!
Hell, they have more rights than anyone else......
Exactly. I'm sick of the story that "the only crime they have committed is by coming to America in search of a better life." BS. Entering America is not the only crime they commit. They are not paying taxes, which is against the law too. They don't buy insurance for their cars, which is against the law. IF we didn't pay taxes or buy car insurance we could be put in jail. That's just a couple more laws they have broken, but I bet if we sat down and put a pencil to paper we could come up with a lot more broken laws.
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