NOGALES — Cochise County Sheriff Mark Dannels said Tuesday that protests against border wall construction near Lochiel in neighboring Santa Cruz County have not been as peaceful as that county’s sheriff has described, KTAR News reported.
“We’ve been contacted by many of the law enforcement in that area … in regard to escalating violence, protesters that were damaging equipment, using bear spray against agents, to include spitting on agents,” Dannels said on KTAR’s “Arizona’s Morning News.” He said his office has statewide authority and is ready to respond.
Santa Cruz County Sheriff David Hathaway had stopped responding to calls from federal agents and contractors about protester behavior. In a statement Monday, Hathaway said the protesters have been peaceful and alleged that federal agents were the ones committing violence, according to KTAR.
The Arizona Sheriffs’ Association said in a letter Friday that other sheriffs stand ready to help in Santa Cruz County if the Arizona Department of Public Safety asks. Hathaway accused the association of political bias.
Protesters had tried to stop construction by occupying a cottonwood tree more than 150 years old in Lochiel. On Oct. 5, Border Patrol agents reportedly arrested at least 20 people before the tree was cut down.
Dannels said he had been told the protesters were leaving. “If it goes in that trend, this problem will go away,” he said.
Sources: KTAR News. Thee Arizona Times uses AI-assisted reporting reviewed against the sources listed.
Photo: U.S. Customs and Border Protection / Public domain via Wikimedia Commons.
