AZMEX UPDATE 18-2-19

AZMEX UPDATE 18 FEB 2019



Protesters invade and vandalize Border Patrol Museum and sacred room
by Jala Washington
Sunday, February 17th 2019

https://kfoxtv.com/news/local/protesters-invade-and-vandalize-sacred-memorial-room-in-border-patrol-museum

Protesters invade and vandalize Border Patrol Museum and sacred room. (Border Patrol Museum- Employee).

EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14) — A museum employee says a place to honor and pray for fallen Border Patrol agents has been defaced by a group of protesters in the Border Patrol Museum.

A Border Patrol Museum employee who confronted an unwelcome group estimates there were about to 50 people.
This employee, who has asked not to be identified for her protection, said she feels the invasion and vandalism was politically motivated.

The museum is a historic addition to the Borderland.

"The Border Patrol Museum has been here for a long time," said El Pasoan Luie Saldanha.
The long-standing museum has been long respected.
"Everyone should respect the place," said Maria Saldanha.
The Saldanhas said they're surprised to hear news of the vandalism.
"Well, we don't know what their motive is," said Luie Saldanha.

One of the museum's employees spoke exclusively to KFOX 14.
"They were everywhere," said the employee.
This employee was there when protesters took over, and said it all happened out of nowhere.
"You couldn't see their faces, they had a lot of posters," said the employee. "They were marching, they were singing, they were being loud."

This employee said she tried over and over to get protesters to leave.
"The visitors saw it and they took cover in our gift shop in the very, very back," said the employee.

There was vandalism to the museum's sacred memorial room. In photos shared with KFOX 14, you can see pictures of children who have recently died in Border Patrol custody plastered over the faces of fallen Border Patrol agents.

"We weren't physically assaulted, but we were just verbally assaulted and harassed," said the employee.
The employee said the harassment, lasting about 30 minutes, leaves her and others feeling threatened and afraid.

"The museum is there to educate them," said the employee. "We have nothing to do with what's going on out there."
The museum secured and closely monitored, sits still on the corner of a busy freeway. It is disrupted, but still standing.
"People should respect the history of El Paso, and the Border Patrol," said Luie Saldanha.

The Border Patrol Agents Family Network said it's waiting to see how much damages will cost. The museum stays afloat by donations from the community.

END


ALSO:

Border Patrol Museum accuses protesters of vandalism
By: Kate Bieri
Posted: Feb 17, 2019 09:33 PM MST
Updated: Feb 18, 2019 12:25 PM MST

https://www.kvia.com/news/el-paso/border-patrol-museum-accuses-protesters-of-vandalism/1026069806

Border Patrol Museum accuses protesters of vandalism
The president of the National Border Patrol Museum's board of directors said protesters vandalized multiple exhibits on Saturday.

"Today a group of protesters invaded the Border Patrol Museum and defaced all of our exhibits including our sacred Memorial Room," David Ham wrote on Facebook. "Efforts to prosecute them will be pursued once damage is assessed. This angers me greatly."

The Facebook group, "Tornillo: the Occupation" livestreamed the protest.

"It was an act of civil disobedience done because we believe there is a humanitarian crisis and human rights violations being perpetuated by a corrupt and broken immigration system," said Elizabeth Vega, one of the organizers.

Vega is a St. Louis resident and well-known protester throughout the country, especially in Ferguson. She denied vandalizing the museum, but she said the group placed stickers of Jakelin Caal and Felipe Gomez Alonzo, children who died in the custody of the U.S. Border Patrol. "If this was happening in another country, we would be in an uproar," Vega said.

The museum is not affiliated with the U.S. Border Patrol, a spokesman said on Facebook. It is the only border patrol museum in the country. "We house the U.S. Border Patrol history but we are not funded by them or the federal government," he said in a Facebook message.

Even though the museum is not funded by the U.S. Border Patrol, Vega told ABC-7 that they glorify a broken immigration system.
"I am appalled and ashamed of my country and all the people within that immigration system who are perpetuating these violations," Vega said.

END