UNITED STATES: Racists with guns patrol border

From March 31-April 30, the US-Mexico border in Arizona will be flooded with dangerous, armed idiots, as an estimated 2000 volunteers join the "Minutemen Project", which describes itself as "Americans doing the job Congress won't". The volunteers will patrol the border, looking for undocumented immigrants, and call the authorities to apprehend them. In the first two days, the Minutemen, almost all of whom carry handguns, were responsible for the arrest of 146 immigrants. While the media spokespeople claim the project is concerned with legality, a Pheonix television station, KPHO, sent reporters undercover as volunteers, and captured footage of Minutemen using racial abuse, and some carrying shotguns. According research from Californian Public Policy Institute, such vigilante activity does not prevent immigrants sneaking across the border, but drives them into ever more unsafe areas to cross. Events protesting the Minutemen are being held throughout April, visit <http://derechoshumanosaz.net/aprilunity2005.htm> for details.

From Green Left Weekly, April 13, 2005.

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From GLW issue 622