Protest Sheriff Joe/posse, Andrew Thomas
by Phoenix Copwatch Monday, Jun. 12, 2006 at 4:06 PM

What: Protest against Sheriff Joe and Andrew Thomas Where: March from 100 W. Washington St. to 301 W. Jefferson St., Phoenix When: 8:30 am to 10:30 am, this Friday, June 16, 2006

Please join us in protest against Sheriff Joe's and Andrew Thomas's anti-immigrant crusade.

We are protesting the misuse of local law enforcement and civilian volunteers in the anti-immigrant crusade of County Attorney Andrew Thomas and Sheriff Joe Arpaio. The march will begin at the Sheriffs Office, 100 W. Washington St. in Phoenix at 8:30 am. It will conclude at Andrew Thomass office, 301 W. Jefferson at 10 am.

At the protest, we will present the following demands:
1. That Andrew Thomas and Sheriff Arpaio stop misinterpreting the
anti-smuggling law to arrest and prosecute suspected undocumented migrants as smuggling conspirators
2. That all persons arrested under this law be immediately released from custody
3. That Sheriff Joe stop using armed civilian volunteers to hunt for
migrants

Reasonable law enforcement agencies around the country, including the LAPD and Phoenix PD, understand that local police have no business enforcing immigration laws by definition, a federal issue. Local enforcement of immigration will only lead to a chilling effect among immigrant communities, making people less likely to report crimes or ask for help from the police. Do we really want to keep a woman from calling the cops on her abusive husband because shes afraid she will be deported?

Now Sheriff Joe is sending armed civilian volunteers out into the desert and the streets of Phoenix to hunt down suspected migrants. Phoenix Copwatch is very concerned that this move will only inflame an already volatile situation and will inevitably lead to racial profiling.



Phoenix Copwatch is a civilian group formed to combat abuse by the
police in our community. We use a variety of means to fight police abuse including community patrols, videotaping, and community education.
Copwatch is completely independent from the police, all other law enforcement agencies, the government, and all political parties. More information about Phoenix Copwatch can be found at our website: http://www.phoenixcopwatch.org

see also: http://arizona.indymedia.org/news/2006/04/41017.php
http://arizona.indymedia.org/news/2006/06/44033.php

www.phoenixcopwatch.org

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