Mexican-flag burners plan more protests

On Sunday, about 12 people from the Border Guardians, a Tucson anti-illegal-entrant group, burned a Mexican flag on the sidewalk in front of the consulate, 553 S. Stone Ave. Drawing more onlookers and media staffers than supporters, the group read several statements opposing immigration-law proposals, blaming the Mexican government for the number of illegal immigrants entering through Arizona's border.

The group said Sunday's flag burning was the first in a series of planned burnings.

"This is a symbolic act," said Roy Warden, a Border Guardians member who helped to ignite the flag.

Making several references to people who carried Mexican flags during pro-illegal-immigrant marches last week, Warden questioned the patriotism of those who marched.

"We felt that when people are taking to the streets, it was an assertion of Mexican sovereignty. Today we are defending American sovereignty," he said.

Before dousing the flag in lighter fluid, Warden read several statements blaming the Mexican government and members of Congress for not providing more enforcement along the U.S. border.

He also said Mexican residents are being exploited by the "Spanish-descended elite of Mexico" and should revolt against the Mexican government.

Group members then recited the Pledge of Allegiance and lighted the flag.

As the flag's embers fell, supporters of the group cheered and shouted: "Long live George Washington! God bless America!"

Standing across the street from the Border Guardians, members of Liz Moreno's family watched the flag burning.

"It hurts to see what they did," said Moreno, 30, who added that she was born in Mexico but has lived in the United States for 26 years. Moreno said she brought along six of her family members because they thought there would be more organized opposition to the flag burning.

"It makes me mad," Moreno said. "I'm wondering where everyone is. I don't know why more people didn't show up."

Though members of the American Civil Liberties Union were on hand, and a couple of other onlookers shouted arguments against the Border Guardians, there were no arrests or large opposition groups.

The Mexican Consulate offices were closed, and calls to the office were not returned.

With several observers from the ACLU at Sunday's flag burning, Carolyn Trowbridge, a state board member of the group, said it was not taking sides and showed up to make sure no one's First Amendment rights were impeded.

"We're not here to support or oppose. We're here to make sure free speech was not impeded, which didn't happen," Trowbridge said.

The flag burning was scheduled for noon, but several onlookers and participants gathered before the event started.

Carrying a banner that read "Defending American Sovereignty," three members of the Border Guardians stood in front of the Mexican Consulate and stated several times that they were not targeting Mexican people on the basis of their ethnicity.

"We're not picking on Mexicans specifically, but we're blaming their government and their citizens who are here illegally in the U.S," said Laine Lawless, director of the Border Guardians and organizer of flag burning. Though Tucson Police Department officers were at the event, Lawless said she wore padding under her clothing "in case violence erupted."

"We're not pacifists, but we'll protect ourselves if needed," she said, adding that group members do not carry guns or other weapons.

Lawless would not give membership figures for the Border Guardians, but she said more people have been viewing the group's Web site.

Asked if the group plans to burn more Mexican flags, Lawless said: "Anytime they take to the streets, we'll burn a Mexican flag. We're going to be there (at Armory Park)," where today's march is to end.

● In Tucson, thousands are expected to gather at 9 a.m. today outside St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, on South 12th Avenue at West Ajo Way.

The demonstrators plan to march to Downtown's Armory Park for a rally featuring speeches and music.