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Unruly Crowd Shuts Down Immigration Debate
One Person Was Arrested

(CBS) CHICAGO The immigration battle heated up in Chicago Thursday night as demonstrators on both sides of the issue exchanged words in a Logan Square standoff.

It was supposed to be a debate between the anti-immigration reform Minutemen and immigration reform supporters at the Fourth Congregational Church.

CBS 2’s Alita Guillen reports the entire event was shut down before it really began.

The event only lasted about 10 minutes because it got so out of control. Police broke up the debate before any issues were even discussed.

Church leaders had hoped to hold a debate on immigration reform by bringing together opposing groups: The Illinois Minuteman Project and the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant Refugee Rights.

But fearing for their safety, the Coalition backed out and encouraged those who were thinking about attending the debate to avoid the event.

“It became pretty obvious to us that this was going to be a circus. This wasn't going to be a chance to really sit down and talk about the issues,” said Gabe Gonzalez with the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant Refugee Rights.

“We don’t need reform. We need enforcement of our current law,” said Evert Evertsen with the Minutemen Project.

Organizers decided to hold a question and answer forum anyway. Instead, they got chaos. It’s more proof that immigration reform is as heated an issue on the streets of Chicago as it is in Washington.

“I would have thought in the house of God we wouldn't have had this problem,” said Rev. Dan Wood.

In the end, it was a disappointing night for just about everyone after what started off as a peaceful service quickly turned to a free-for-all at the Fourth Congregational Church.

Emotions ran high inside the church, and Chicago police escorted an unruly man out just minutes after the National Anthem was sung.

“My daughter-in-law speaks better Spanish than you two do,” a man said.

Tensions were even higher outside the church.

“They should learn how to respect the house of God,” said Pastor Onex Rosado.

In the end, one person was arrested for criminal trespass.

The church actually organized the event, and the people behind it were extremely disappointed. When asked if they would consider a different type of forum, they say at this time they are stunned but not giving up on bringing the two sides together.
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Chaos ends immigration debate before it startsPolice make one arrest

By Karen Jordan

May 4, 2006 - Chaos at a Chicago church Thursday night cancelled a planned debate on immigration before it started. It got so out of control that dozens of police officers stepped in. One person was arrested for disorderly conduct.

The Logan Square church had planned to facilitate a debate on both sides of the immigration reform issue, with the Minutemen and the Illinois Coalition of Immigrant Rights. But the coalition backed out Wednesday night out of concern that the meeting would turn violent. There was no violence. But there was a lot of shouting and yelling before the meeting even got started.
"This is America. We're supposed to have two sides whether we like the other side or not," said Rev. Dan Wood, 4th Congregational Church.

Wood said his original plan was to bring together both sides of the immigration reform debate. But when the minutemen was the only group represented, the forum was over before it began. Supporters of immigration rights began shouting at organizers of the event and at the spokesperson for the Minutemen, Rosanna Pulido.

Before the event started, immigration rights supporters rallied outside of the church saying the Minutemen stance on illegal immigration is racist.

"Inviting the Minutemen into this community is like inviting the KKK into a largely black community," said Rehada Khan, anti-Minuteman defendant.

Tempers flared in the church where neither side was really heard. The police eventually had to clear out the church, but not before one more confrontation.

"This is domestic terrorism," said one anti-Minutemen individual.

"These are anarchists and communists. And there is an unholy alliance right now between the pro-illegal lobby and communists and anarchists," said Pulido.

During the testy exchange, the immigrants' rights supporteres were the most vocals. Many of them were escorted out of the church by the police. There was reportedly only one arrest.

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Unruly Crowd Shuts Down Immigration Debate

Steve Grzanich Reporting

CHICAGO (WBBM Newsradio 780) -- A community forum on immigration ended just about as fast as it began Thursday night in the Logan Square neighborhood when protesters disrupted the event and shouted down the controversial participants.

"No free speech for terrorists!" chanted the demonstrators who crowded inside the Fourth Congregational Church at 2625 N. Tallman Ave., where the event was being held.

WBBM Newsradio 780's Steve Grzanich reports organizers had barely started the introductions when the noisy protest began.

The demonstrators succeeded in stopping what was supposed to be a debate between advocates of immigration rights and a group called the Illinois Minuteman Project which supports stricter enforcement of U-S immigration laws.

"They have to know that their racist ideas are not going to be tolerated," said protestor Maria Melquiades of Chicago. "Racism kills. You don't debate racism," she said.

"All immigrants are welcomed and Minutemen are not," said protestor John Eriksen of Chicago. "Where they are, they need to be shouted down because they are racists and Nazis," he added.

The forum had to be cancelled when police were called in to disperse the protestors. Officers arrested one demonstrator for disorderly conduct.

"This is infantile behavior," said Rosanna Pulido, Illinois Minuteman Project Director. "The faith community should be able to get together and have a civil discussion about a serious topic. This disruption is uncalled for," she said.

Pulido had been scheduled to debate a representative of the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights but the group pulled out of the forum because of concerns the event might spark violence.

A statement released by the coalition read: "Our organization has no interest whatsoever in contributing to an event in which people could be hurt and that allows extremists to vent their hatred or that further exacerbates tensions at a time when our nation is interested in solutions. We have always welcomed debate with those with different views than ours, and will continue to do so. But we reject needless provocation that may lead to people being hurt."

"I didn't see any Minutemen act up in that church," said Pulido. "We're homeowners, we're business owners, we're veterans that love this country and believe that there is a problem that has been created because our immigration laws are not being enforced," she said.
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