Copyright 2006 Times - Standard
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By JESSIE FAULKNER
Eureka Times-Standard
ARCATA, Calif. — Few of the immigration rights marchers who were involved in a fracas with police Monday offered their names or stories during a public meeting Tuesday with Humboldt County District Attorney Paul Gallegos.
Fear of arrest and concerns for safety were cited when speaker after speaker called for action but declined to identify themselves at the D Street Community Center evening gathering.
“Our reason for being here is to address the behavior of the police,” the young woman serving as facilitator said. “We want the police held accountable for their actions.”
Gallegos, who had and took the opportunity to respond to most of the speakers stated his support for everyone’s right to feel safe and be safe.
“Having said that, if there was a wrong committed, people must be willing to make statements with their names to be witnesses, that’s how the legal system works,” he said.
As it stands now, the District Attorney said, he doesn’t have sufficient information.
Others asked whether the warrants for the three individuals who are being sought by the California Highway Patrol could be cite-and-release warrants.
“No,” Gallegos responded. “It may be totally appropriate, but I don’t have enough information.”
One woman noted that it’s not likely the marchers’ stories will be shared with the District Attorney’s office.
“You’re the prosecutor, that is not who you would give your statements to...you don’t give the other side the story,” she said.
Gallegos acknowledged his role as prosecutor, but underlined the need to gather the evidence.
“Do you want us to have just a partial picture?” he asked.
Still others accused the District Attorney of diverting attention away from their efforts to raise the awareness of anti-immigrant racism.
“I do respect people who want to protest racist policies in this country,” Gallegos said. “We have a society of racism. I’m not condoning it.”
But, the issue came back to the reluctance of those present to act as witnesses.
“I’m trying to find a way to make a decision based on all the evidence,” he said.
At times debate ensued as to whether the marchers could be legally walking within the safety corridor. Gallegos said he understood that pedestrians were not allowed from G Street entrance area south to the safety corridor, but were permissible in the safety zone.
Another man ventured that a pattern was emerging in how local law enforcement deals with protests citing the critical mass bicycle ride in which three women were “roughed up” by law enforcement. The same happened Monday, he said.
“We’re seeing a pattern here, it’s happened twice. We’re seeing violence against women and I’d like to know why.”
“If that’s true,” Gallegos responded, “it needs to be changed.
“It is true,” an audience member responded, “not ‘if’.”
As the evening advanced, the crowd’s hostility appeared to increase — with frequent interruptions and objections to comments from the District Attorney including lengthy criticisms — covering not just the issue at hand, but the handling of tree sitters, the death of logging protester David “Gypsy” Chain and other cases.
When asked directly whether Gallegos could prosecute the cops, the District Attorney said, “Come to my office, give a statement, with names, addresses and phone numbers.”