July 10, 2006
Skewing the News...One Headline at a Time
What do you think of when you see this headline?
Officer Hurt, Several Arrested During Anti-Immigration Rally
Violent, xenophobic right-wingers disturbing the peace during a racially motivated event, right? Here's the actual story (any and all emphasis mine):
HOLLYWOOD, July 9, 2006 - An officer was injured and six people were arrested during an anti-illegal immigration march involving the Minuteman Project and other groups Saturday evening in Hollywood, police said.
One female officer suffered a minor injury, apparently to her ankle, after clashing with protesters, said Officer Sandra Escalante, spokeswoman for the Los Angeles Police Department.
Counter-protesters stood along the sidewalks shouting as anti-immigration demonstrators, including members of the Minuteman civilian border patrol group, marched along Hollywood Boulevard. The Minutemen, many of them carrying American flags, had a permit to march.
Minuteman founder Jim Gilchrist was among the marchers.
Angry counter protesters, some wearing bandannas to cover their faces, yelled at the Minutemen and called them racists.
They also tried to join the march, but since they did not have a permit, police stopped them, sometimes forcefully.
Escalante said several people were arrested, though it wasn't immediately clear if they were part of the anti-immigration march or the counter-protest.
Police estimated the number of marchers at 200 shortly after 7 p.m. The march began at Hollywood Boulevard and Argyle Avenue, Escalante said.
Quick summary: The march was against illegal immigration, not immigration in general. The Minutemen, who organized the march, had a permit. People who were against the message of the Minutemen were shouting from the street and trying to join the march without a permit. Police had to use force against those who tried to join the march (some wearing bandannas to hide their identities). The injury suffered by an officer involved was minor. From the information in the story, the anti-illegal immigration marchers didn't bring up race; their opponents did.
It's a good thing reporters write stories to go along with the headlines the editors come up with. Otherwise, we may not get the full story.
What's that, you say? Lots of people just scan the headlines? That certainly explains a lot.
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