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Transcript of interview of Henry Harvey
by Glenn Spencer, January 27, 2003
Describing the arrest of Chris Simcox by Park Service Officer, on Saturday, January 26.
Simcox was arrested just inside the fence line of the Coronado National Monument. Harvey was with Simcox, but did not cross the fence into Monument grounds. Harvey is a former law enforcement officer.
SPENCER: You're telling me that after Chris was apprehended, this Border Patrol Agent, said I'm Hispanic and I don't like what you're doing.... I mean this National Park Service Officer, excuse me.
HARVEY: She said: "I'm Hispanic and I don't like what you're doing." Now before that, Chris had made it very clear that he was Chris Simcox of the Civil Homeland Defense. He said that very pointedly, and there was not any doubt that he had identified himself correctly. But when they got in, they were transmitting the message for backup, they transmitted that two suspects were apprehended and that they were suspected of being members of American Border Patrol. They transmitted that two or three times over the radio.
SPENCER: Now this is an important piece of data. And I have to admit, on camera, that I was a little suspicious of Chris when he said they arrested me because they thought I was with you. But what you're saying is that they were out gunning for us, not him.
HARVEY: Well, the implication is that way because he explained it very clearly that he was Civil Homeland Defense and what their mission was, they were answering the president's call for volunteerism and they were going to walk along the border and if they saw any illegal entrances, they would call the Border Patrol. That's when she said the statement that she was Hispanic and she didn't like what he was doing. Now the clarity of how they defined who they were, and then for them to confuse it or misstate it in the radio traffic between the agency -- and I heard it either two or three times -- I don't recall precisely what the number was very clear that they thought they had American Border Patrol.
SPENCER: Interesting. Interesting.
HARVEY: And before that, I was speaking with an agent on the border and he asked me was I with American Border Patrol and since I wasn't on an official mission I just didn't answer his question. I don't know how you feel about identifying...
SPENCER: If you have a Hawkeye ID you can say anything you want.
According to Simcox, the agent mentioned her Hispanic heritage three times during the interrogation.
Note: According to reports, the park ranger confiscated Simcox's weapon (he has a permit to carry, but there are rules against bringing loaded weapons onto the Coronado National Monument) , his camera, and his cell phone with all his phone numbers in the memory. Some observers suspect that the ranger was acting on her own as a "self-styled vigilante."
| Tucson Citizen - January 28, 2003 Simcox says ranger cited him for weapon The organizer of Arizona's newest citizen border militia said he was cited for carrying a loaded weapon in a national park, disorderly conduct and hiking without a special-use permit Sunday. -- Tombstone Tumbleweed editor and Civil Homeland Defense organizer Chris Simcox, 42, said he didn't realize he was in Coronado National Monument... |
KOLD
TV - January 28, 2003 Leader Of Border Militia Faces Charges The leader of a border militia group faces charges after officials say he was caught on federal land with a loaded weapon. -- Chris Simcox of Tombstone heads up "Civil Homeland Defense." -- The Chief Ranger of the Coronado National Memorial says Simcox was issued three citations over the weekend.... |
