Garden Grove: What Happened When Netkin Attacked

http://la.indymedia.org/news/2005/05/127698.php

The brief, real story of what went down when Minutemen supporter Hal Netkin drove his van into a line of demonstrators in Garde Grove on Wednesday.

After 2 1/2 days I was finally able to speak directly with two people who were at the driveway, and who were responsible persons among the demonstrators, when Hal Netkin attacked the protestors at the Garden Grove Anti – Minutemen protest.

The story is simple and straightforward. For legal reasons I will not identify protest participants by name or organization.

Protestors were picketing, walking in a circle. The circle included the area of the driveway being used for entrance by those attending the Gilchrist talk.

Hal Netkin drove up from the street, turned sharply into the driveway without stopping, striking – at last count – six protestors.

Netkin was in no way provoked, threatened, stopped, harassed, intimidated or attacked by any protestor.

After the protestors were struck by Netkin’s van, police made no move to take control of the sidewalk or the driveway.

In other words police made no move to block, encircle or protect protestors, despite the fact that two of their comrades still lay on the ground, subject to being run over again by incoming vehicles.

For this and other reasons, I was told, some protestors may have momentarily interfered with the next car to wheel into the driveway, but only after they had been subjected to attempted murder and a clear cut hate crime, and only after police made no effort to “protect or serve” those exposed to harm.

One might note the disparity in law enforcement attitudes and actions.

To state and perhaps belabor the obvious, on Wednesday night, it was the Minutemen and their racist armed protectors - the police - in league against the Chican@ community, both seeking to physically spiritually and morally harm the community and its allies by any means at their disposal.

Author: Chicomozteca
Posted: Saturday May 28, 2005 07:49 PM

-=-

Theres Police Video tape

All politics put aside.... there are reasons people aren't convicted... its called evidence... Netkin was released after police watched a videotape that showed protesters surrounding the vehicle, banging on it and refusing to move, said Garden Grove Police Lt. Mike Handfield. About 300 protesters at the scene were “trying to intimidate him and refused to let him pass,” Handfield said. By night’s end, five demonstrators had been arrested.

{snip}

The protesters blocked the entrance and tossed soda cans and cans packed with marbles at police and attendees, Handfield said. They kicked, banged and threw rocks at cars; some wore latex gloves and hoods so they wouldn’t be identified by police, Handfield said. Some attendees decided not to enter the building because they feared violence.

UNBIASED OUT

Author: Unbiased_Va
Posted: Sunday May 29, 2005 05:15 AM

-=-

Re: Theres Police Video tape

Reality check: the cops say they have a video that exonerates them, so it must be true. Who's seen it? You, "Unbiased"?

We have witnesses, the cops have Handfield, so, according to the "Unbiased" comments, the demonstrators are liars, the cops are telling the truth.

"All politics put aside" my ass. Politics according to Unbiased_Va are that the police must be right be telling the truth because they're the police. I don't know anyone who's fallen for that one in forty years, except a few yokels up in the hills.

Author: The Morrígan
Posted: Sunday May 29, 2005 05:55 AM

-=-

Re: Theres Police Video tape

Thanks for the reality check. You are right on target.

I know of many instances when demonstrators have been charged with things that the videotape conclusively proved had not occurred.

The police are _never_ apolitical.

They are _always_ the enemy of protestors who are fighting for liberation.

Police often don't care what the videotape shows. There is an old saying they believe in, that "you can beat the rap but you can't beat the ride."

During the overt COINTELPRO period of the sixties and seventies, orgs like AIM and the Panthers and many others were targeted for ongoing arrest, precisely in order to tie up the leadership in court, to stress the organization's abilities to function and fund raise, to intimidate those who might otherwise join them, and to neutralize or eliminate key people or talented individuals.

If legal harrassment didn't work, or efforts to imprison or intimidate people failed, death was on the agenda.

That was the fate of 27 Panthers and a simply huge number of AIM supporters - so many that the death rate in Pine Ridge on the Lakota Reservation roughly equalled the death rate in Chile following the fascist coup by Pinochet.

So, as you said, "Leaving aside politics" my a**

Chicomozteca

Author: Chicomozteca
Posted: Sunday May 29, 2005 07:56 AM

-=-

Solidarity

Frankly, I dont care if the protesters did throw soda at this racist. Shit, it should have been bricks. We are talking about an armed paramilitary group forming in our community. We should support those people who stood up to them that day. They were brave enough to take a stand, if only all of us would do the same.

Author: San Patricio
Posted: Monday May 30, 2005 06:20 AM

-=-

Archangel

I've seen the video. Yes, the protestors attacked the mans car and most were not hurt when he tried to escape.

The video even shows the protestors trying to act like they were hurt when they were not.

WHAT A BUNCH OF LIARS YOU ALL ARE!

And the guy on here talking about using bricks? Then in the same breath complaining about para military groups?

You guys tried to attack people at a peaceful public speaking engagement. 8 of you were arrested for serious violent offenses. You are flat busted on tape attacking the mans car and then pretending to be hurt when you were not.

I'm so happy that I am working against a bunch of violent, racist, lying, lawless, disrespectful, creeps like you folks here at Indy Media.

Why would anyone want to support the views of violent liars? That is what you are and you will fail.

The truth has a power and the truth is on the side of your opposition.

Pack your bags illegals. You are going home and the violent protestors around Indy Media are helping speed your removal up.

It wont be the Minutemen removing you. It will be the US Government.

PS: Since your protest was vioelent. How does it feel to violate the civil rights of Americans? Nice job clowns.

Author: Jimmy Heat
Posted: Monday May 30, 2005 07:24 PM

-=-

wheres the tape

To those that say they have seen the tape. Where and when? How come you are not posting the url so everyone can decide the truth?

Author: gman
Posted: Tuesday May 31, 2005 04:08 PM

-=-

Chicomozteca IS LYING

Mexican Nationals and their friends attacked a little old man just like La Raza attacked a 66 year old lady in Baldwin Park

Americans will win!

Author: We American know it!
Posted: Wednesday June 01, 2005 12:49 AM

-=-

The missing tape

> To those that say they have seen the tape. Where > and when? How come you are not posting the url > so everyone can decide the truth?

The police won't release the tape, almost certainly. What the eye witnesses report is that the suspect deliberately drove into a crowd of peaceful anti-race hate protesters who then responded in kind -- which they shouldn't have.

The suspect provoked the peaceful protesters by driving into them, motivating the peaceful protesters to pound on the suspect's vehicle.

The racist hate mongers and the police whoi released the suspect aren't going to release the video which shows the fact that the suspect instigated the incident.

The good guys need to learn from this since I consider it highly likely that the suspect did this specifically to try to turn the peaceful protesters into an angry response.

In all cases, the racists have "drawn first blood." In the case of the assault against freedom of speech and Mexicans in Baldwin Park, the racists instigated the overwhelming opposition by the community. In all cases, the racists act and the community at large peacefully reacts.

So it was with this suspect driving into a crowd of peaceful protesters in Garden Grove. And I suspect it was done deliberately to incite an angry response.

Author: Fredric L. Rice
Posted: Wednesday June 01, 2005 04:05 AM