Minutemen clash with business owner

Members of the Minuteman Project addressed the city council Monday over a recent clash in beliefs with an Upland business owner

The group held American Flag rallies on May 5 to encourage people to celebrate the Fourth of July or other significant days in American history rather than Cinco De Mayo.

After seeing a large Cinco De Mayo sign outside of Graziano's Italian Restaurant and Bar, the group decided to take a photo with their flags next to the sign.

The incident resulted in a yelling match between the members as well as the restaurant owner and employees who called the Upland Police Department.

"We found it ironic that eight moms and dad's holding American flags on a public sidewalk - the police were called in and we were told to give our names and would be subject to arrest," said Robin Hvidston, member of the Minuteman Project. "We felt in Upland a day labor has more rights than an American citizen on a public sidewalk holding an American Flag."

Before taking the photos, the group went into the restaurant to speak with the owner and give him a pamphlet on the American Flag.

"Basically they were insinuating that I was un-American and I was insuring them that I have every right to conduct my business the way I see fit," said Danny Guida, owner of Grazianos.

"They were very demanding and aggressive in their tactics and disrupting my whole front lobby."

The group was asked to leave, but when the owner saw they were taking photos next to his sign both groups entered into a confrontation leading to a call to the police.

"I saw the sign and I thought what photo opportunity that would be. That was it," said Raymond Herrera, member of the Minuteman Project. "We did not intend to even go to Graziano's or go to any restaurant to do anything like this."

A police report was taken for battery, but no prosecution was desired by any parties, said Sgt. Cliff Mathews with the Upland Police Department.

"My main point was to ask if that was the way they felt about small business and the free market and they didn't have an answer for me," Guida said. "That was the main objective I wanted to get across."

The purpose of the flag rallies on Cinco De Mayo was to make residents aware of the insignificance of the holiday to the people of Mexico, Herrera said.

"In Mexico they don't even celebrate Cinco De Mayo, but here it is a beckoning call to have beer drinking parties all over America and make the American people believe there is significance to it - that's it's the liberation of the people of Mexico and it is not even anything close to that," Herrera said.

"Obviously Graziano's has freedom of speech and obviously in our country we can display signs and utilize freedom of speech allowing both of us to go forward and express our view points," Hvidston said. "In retrospect if we had known officers would be called to the scene we absolutely would not have taken the photo."