| BARRIOZONA |
| Bilingual Community Expression Published by the Hispanic Institute of Social Issues |
| 'Landscaping work' by Sensing's people attempts to seize control of the sidewalk and prevent protesters from holding rally, but plan ends up turning it into a march on both sides of Thomas Road. |
| Pruitt's Owner Tactic Fails to Thwart Fourth Demonstration |
Among the list of many things a busy man
like Roger Sensing has to do every week,
a new burden has come upon his
shoulders: trying to come up with
imaginative ways to keep demonstrators
off the sidewalk in front of his property —
M.D. Pruitt's Home Furnishings store—, an
inconvenience costing him already
thousands of dollars, and a problem way
beyond his business skills.
You can’t blame the man. He’s a
successful furniture seller, no doubt,
having converted his business from
modest beginnings into a little emporium.
But chasing persistent protesters away
like Roger Sensing has to do every week,
a new burden has come upon his
shoulders: trying to come up with
imaginative ways to keep demonstrators
off the sidewalk in front of his property —
M.D. Pruitt's Home Furnishings store—, an
inconvenience costing him already
thousands of dollars, and a problem way
beyond his business skills.
You can’t blame the man. He’s a
successful furniture seller, no doubt,
having converted his business from
modest beginnings into a little emporium.
But chasing persistent protesters away
from the front of his store is obviously not his strength.
You see, he has tried his best to do just that. From having the top cop in Maricopa County —along with a small
regiment of horses, vehicles, and deputies— confronting the crowd of demonstrators and arresting day laborers by
the dozen, to playing loud music; barricading his own parking lot with an unattractive convoy of Pruitt’s trucks;
spreading manure along the sidewalk; and sending sarcastic messages to Phoenix Mayor Gordon, with professional
and expensive signage. Which of the above methods have worked? None.
For Saturday’s demonstration —the fourth consecutive one— Sensing came up with what he probably thought was
the perfect solution for discouraging protesters from standing on the sidewalk: having a uniformed crew of his own
people doing landscaping work, thus hindering picketers from comfortably rallying. Signs placed along the sidewalk
read: “CAUTION” and “SIDEWALK CLOSED.”
So on Saturday, October 17, using a temporary city permit, he prevented protesters from standing on the sidewalk
to carry out their weekly demonstration. The group was informed that due to the permit, and the supposed
landscaping work to be done, they couldn’t stand on the sidewalk.
At first, things seemed to be working according to Sensing’s plan. Picketers relocated their rally to the north side of
Thomas Road, right outside the China Olive Super Buffet restaurant, and next to the Tower Liquors store. There,
without sheriff deputies blocking their way, they expressed freely, invading private property at some point.
Once installed there, demonstrators officially began their fourth rally to protest Sensing’s hiring of Maricopa County
sheriff deputies to patrol and enforce the area on Thomas Road, between 36th and 34th Streets. In the two
preceding Saturdays, organizer Salvador Reza had Mariachi and Mexican Northerner live music. This week’s music
entertainment was provided by a group of Banda music from Sinaloa, Mexico, who played loudly and put protesters
to dance.
But Sensing’s initially successful plan suddenly failed; and worst, it horrendously backfired on him. Reza and his
people quickly gathered in the parking lot of the liquor store to reassess the situation and counter attack Sensing’s
staged landscaping work. They figured if Sensing’s permit meant they couldn’t stand on the side walk —due to the
fictitious work— there was no reason why they couldn’t march on it.
So, instead of thwarting people from demonstrating in front of his business, Sensing ended up having a parade of
protesters marching along the sidewalk, where some of Pruitt’s “landscape workers” and other staff attempted to
block them, just to have sheriff deputies ask them to move aside, allowing the procession to continue.
Sensing’s projected plan not only went totally wrong, it boomeranged in a way he never imagined. Traffic on the
stretch of Thomas Road, where his store is located, became paralyzed at times, due to the large number of
individuals crossing the streets on both marked and unmarked crosswalks to walk around, now on both the north
and south sidewalks.
Pruitt’s owner, his “landscaping” crew, Phoenix police officers standing in the store’s parking lot, and everybody on
his turf looked on in disbelief at how the regular protests from the previous Saturdays, turned into a demonstration
on both sides of the road. People parading, dancing, chanting, yelling on megaphones, crossing from one side of the
street to the other, and stopping traffic at times, while police officers on motorcycles, patrol cars and special vehicles
were at crosswalks and even in the middle of the road to protect picketers.
After some brief, minor provocations from people on Pruitt’s grounds, protesters concluded their most crowded rally
yet —around 250 people— by clapping their hands to thank Phoenix police officers for their safety. The assembly
dispersed quickly.
Next week’s demonstration is scheduled for Black Friday. Perhaps, Roger Sensing will come up with another, better
idea to impede the rally to take place. Without a doubt, he wants to go back to doing business as usual, but that
could mean getting sheriff deputies off his business’ payroll. It could also mean immediately calling organizers and
city officials to begin negotiations and to plan a possible a solution.
The current immigration and day laborers situation is way too complicated: for one man, one business, one city, and
even one state to handle. If Sensing is open for suggestions and really wants to go back to doing business as
usual, he needs to understand that he is in the business of selling furniture, not solving problems meant for the
federal government. Yes, out of frustration he is trying to extinguish a fire, but after witnessing today’s
demonstration, it is more than obvious that his extinguisher is not working. The fire has now spread to both sides of
Thomas Road.
You see, he has tried his best to do just that. From having the top cop in Maricopa County —along with a small
regiment of horses, vehicles, and deputies— confronting the crowd of demonstrators and arresting day laborers by
the dozen, to playing loud music; barricading his own parking lot with an unattractive convoy of Pruitt’s trucks;
spreading manure along the sidewalk; and sending sarcastic messages to Phoenix Mayor Gordon, with professional
and expensive signage. Which of the above methods have worked? None.
For Saturday’s demonstration —the fourth consecutive one— Sensing came up with what he probably thought was
the perfect solution for discouraging protesters from standing on the sidewalk: having a uniformed crew of his own
people doing landscaping work, thus hindering picketers from comfortably rallying. Signs placed along the sidewalk
read: “CAUTION” and “SIDEWALK CLOSED.”
So on Saturday, October 17, using a temporary city permit, he prevented protesters from standing on the sidewalk
to carry out their weekly demonstration. The group was informed that due to the permit, and the supposed
landscaping work to be done, they couldn’t stand on the sidewalk.
At first, things seemed to be working according to Sensing’s plan. Picketers relocated their rally to the north side of
Thomas Road, right outside the China Olive Super Buffet restaurant, and next to the Tower Liquors store. There,
without sheriff deputies blocking their way, they expressed freely, invading private property at some point.
Once installed there, demonstrators officially began their fourth rally to protest Sensing’s hiring of Maricopa County
sheriff deputies to patrol and enforce the area on Thomas Road, between 36th and 34th Streets. In the two
preceding Saturdays, organizer Salvador Reza had Mariachi and Mexican Northerner live music. This week’s music
entertainment was provided by a group of Banda music from Sinaloa, Mexico, who played loudly and put protesters
to dance.
But Sensing’s initially successful plan suddenly failed; and worst, it horrendously backfired on him. Reza and his
people quickly gathered in the parking lot of the liquor store to reassess the situation and counter attack Sensing’s
staged landscaping work. They figured if Sensing’s permit meant they couldn’t stand on the side walk —due to the
fictitious work— there was no reason why they couldn’t march on it.
So, instead of thwarting people from demonstrating in front of his business, Sensing ended up having a parade of
protesters marching along the sidewalk, where some of Pruitt’s “landscape workers” and other staff attempted to
block them, just to have sheriff deputies ask them to move aside, allowing the procession to continue.
Sensing’s projected plan not only went totally wrong, it boomeranged in a way he never imagined. Traffic on the
stretch of Thomas Road, where his store is located, became paralyzed at times, due to the large number of
individuals crossing the streets on both marked and unmarked crosswalks to walk around, now on both the north
and south sidewalks.
Pruitt’s owner, his “landscaping” crew, Phoenix police officers standing in the store’s parking lot, and everybody on
his turf looked on in disbelief at how the regular protests from the previous Saturdays, turned into a demonstration
on both sides of the road. People parading, dancing, chanting, yelling on megaphones, crossing from one side of the
street to the other, and stopping traffic at times, while police officers on motorcycles, patrol cars and special vehicles
were at crosswalks and even in the middle of the road to protect picketers.
After some brief, minor provocations from people on Pruitt’s grounds, protesters concluded their most crowded rally
yet —around 250 people— by clapping their hands to thank Phoenix police officers for their safety. The assembly
dispersed quickly.
Next week’s demonstration is scheduled for Black Friday. Perhaps, Roger Sensing will come up with another, better
idea to impede the rally to take place. Without a doubt, he wants to go back to doing business as usual, but that
could mean getting sheriff deputies off his business’ payroll. It could also mean immediately calling organizers and
city officials to begin negotiations and to plan a possible a solution.
The current immigration and day laborers situation is way too complicated: for one man, one business, one city, and
even one state to handle. If Sensing is open for suggestions and really wants to go back to doing business as
usual, he needs to understand that he is in the business of selling furniture, not solving problems meant for the
federal government. Yes, out of frustration he is trying to extinguish a fire, but after witnessing today’s
demonstration, it is more than obvious that his extinguisher is not working. The fire has now spread to both sides of
Thomas Road.
| Text and Photographs by Eduardo Barraza |
| Hispanic Institute of Social Issues © 2006-2007 All rights reserved. webmaster@hisi.org |
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| INTERACTIVE |
| HISI © 2007 |
| Special Coverage: Conflict at Pruitt's |
M.D. Pruitt's Furnishing Sheriff Joe Arpaio Salvador Teza Tupac Enrique Acosta United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues J. Wilton Littlechild Tonya Gonnella Frichner Tonatierra Macehualli Labor Day Center Maricopa County Sheriff office Roger sensing 3425 E. Thomas Rd. Phoenix Arizona MD Pruitts's furniture furnishings. www.pruitts.com Captain Paul Chagoya Laborers