Border Watchers Attacked During Training Session

A group called Gente Unita confronted volunteer border watchers in San Diego yesterday with obscenities, shoving and U.S. flag desecration, causing Friends of the Border to abandon a planned deployment and an apology by the group’s leader for not having police protection for senior citizen and other members of the group.

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One eyewitness told WND he saw members of Gente Unita assault four members of the border-watch group, including organizer Capt. Drew Johnson, a retired Navy officer.

“Gente Unita stole an American flag, ripped from its staff and trampled it, as captured on film by cameraman Larry Morgan,” said Roger Canfield, a former Republican congressional candidate.

The confrontation began when border volunteers were checking in at a card table for a training session, Canfield said.

“Shouting obscenities and slogans, Gente Unita shoved, jostled, and twice pushed their way into the center in 32 minutes of disorderly conduct as also witnessed by center staff and others at the center to take a state notary exam,” Canfield said.

One man allegedly shouted, “We”re going to shut you the f — — down,” in the face of several volunteers.

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“An American flag was immediately desecrated by being torn away from our volunteers, off its pole, and onto the ground where it was stomped on and kicked,” he said. “This vile act was committed by an individual who had concealed his face from cameras. We do have video footage, which was released by the volunteer to the media and shown in San Diego on their television newscasts. Individuals on tape were also assaulting and battering a number of senior citizens.”

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