By Rebecca Taylor / 3TV
Saturday, November 24, 2007
Phoenix - Business is bad for one Phoenix furniture store, ever since immigration advocates began protesting there.
Today, the Minutemen set-up camp outside Pruitt's, to combat what they call economic terrorism.
Minutemen hold anti-protest After four weeks of watching human rights activists picket the store, the opposite voice on immigration countered.
Their demonstration stretched two blocks along Thomas Road.
American flags waving, anti-illegal immigration protesters lined the street outside Pruitt's furniture store.
"I have no sympathy for people who come here illegally," Minuteman Clyde O'Briant said.
Clyde O'Briant belongs to a group called the Minutemen.
He's here to protest immigration advocates who picket outside the business weekly deterring shoppers.
Those advocates are angry that Pruitt's owner enlisted the help of Sheriff's deputies to shoe away day laborers.
Bob Wright, with Patriots Border Alliance, calls their efforts economic terrorism.
"They are trying to punish this man economically because he wants his government to work the way a government should work," Wright said.
Yesterday human rights activists demonstrated on "Black Friday".
Pruitt's owner Roger Sensing told our Mike Watkiss as a result, he stands to loose 600, 000 in profits this holiday season.
"Why are they angry at you? Because we don't let them solicit workers," he said. "It's intimidating for females to come into the area, it's not functional for a business to operate in."
To make sure their anti-illegal immigration message gets across Minutemen spread across two blocks, from Pruitts to Walmart, hoping to scare away day laborers.
For some passersby, emotions ran high.
Yes I'm Spanish and bilingual, cause you know what I'm proud," one said. "You're the one who came up and said Chicano power aren't ya?"
It's a debate that's far from finished.
Human rights activist Salvator Reza had this to say about today's demonstration, "The Minutemen have now taken to protesting against themselves. The Minutemen are now doing our work for us, while we take the day off with our families."
Today's demonstration remained peaceful and there were no arrests.
http://www.azfamily.com/news/local/stories/KTVKLNews20071124_pruitts.3659284 4.html
This email was cleaned by emailStripper, available for free from http://www.papercut.biz/emailStripper.htm