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Illegal painters target Santa Barbara newspaper

January 9, 2015

B62144xCEAAIjeJThe Santa Barbara News-Press offices became a target this week for protesters and vandals who objected to the newspaper’s use of the word “illegals” in a front-page headline.

On Saturday, the News-Press published a headline stating, “Illegals line up for driver’s licenses.” The headline referred to long lines that had begun to form at the California Department of Motor Vehicles following the implementation of a law allowing illegal immigrants to apply for driver’s licenses.

Critics responded to the headline with an online petition calling for a retraction, and on Thursday, graffiti appeared on the News-Press building and nearby sidewalks. Vandals painted “fight back” and “the border is illegal not the people who cross it” next to the News-Press office entrance. [KEYT]

They also fired paintballs at the building. The damage totaled nearly $1,500, according to Santa Barbara Police.

Officers have not yet caught any suspects. They say the amount of damage to the building and sidewalks could amount to a felony.

On Thursday night, about 100 protesters gathered outside the News-Press offices. Demonstrators threatened to return on Jan. 19 if the newspaper did not issue a retraction or make a change in editorial policy.

Earlier in the day, News-Press Director of News Operations Don Katich released a statement defending the use of the word “illegals” in the headline and saying it appropriately describes people who are in the country illegally.

“You have to look no further than the White House website to see the term ‘illegal’ used when describing the 2,000,000 illegal immigrants President Obama has deported since taking office for being in the U.S. illegally,” Katich said in the statement.”

The vandalism of the News-Press office followed a fatal attack on the offices of a French satirical magazine by less than one day. Gunmen opened fire at the Charlie Hebdo offices in Paris on Wednesday, killing 12 people and injuring several others, in apparent revenge for the publication’s satirical depiction of the Islamic prophet Muhammad.

Many individuals and governments across the world, in turn, have rushed to the defense of freedom of the press over the past two days. While the protest against the News-Press was occurring, other demonstrations were taking place in honor of the murdered Charlie Hebdo journalists.


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Graffitti is really offensive and cowardly. Look at the atmospere created in some cities by these idiots. I would think the law should allow you to shoot them if you video them in the act


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How would they like the headline, “Cesar Chavez wanted a closed border”.??


Chavez knew that an unending supply of labor forced wages downward.


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So…it they are not “illegals”…what are they? Perhaps this is a perfect example why those who reside in California illegally, should not be granted such privileges.

The DMV should stamp “ILLEGAL” across every drivers license it issues to those here illegally.


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You know they won’t do that, we had to change those on food stamps from being embarrassed to use the strange looking money to using a debit card like everyone else, and we had to change the name of the program so as not to profile anyone……


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Don’t forget all the tax-payer-funded advertising campaigns to make collecting welfare cool and hip… anyone can do it!


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And millions more ARE doing it, in fact, it’s a SNAP!

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, catchy isn’t it?


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yes it’s a very expensive program it causes the average American taxpayer has to pay $3.42 annually to feed school children I think it’s an outrage


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Well, this is the UNITED STATES of AMERICA. It’s NOT Mexico, or Mexico North, or any other country. We are a nation of laws, including IMMIGRATION laws.


Einstein was right….Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.


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Isn’t graffiti a quality of life crime? Have different kinds of crime increased in Santa Barbara over the years?


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There you go: no good deed goes unpunished.


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The “open border terrorists” who vandalized the building (not the peaceful protesters) to intimidate and punish the Santa Barbara Press are a threat to free speech and freedom of the press.


Open borders mean that criminals, drug smugglers, and people with infectious diseases from Central/South America will be free to enter the US as they want along with anyone else (including terrorists) worldwide. It will be the end of the US as a separate country, and that’s the goal. It will be the end of the middle class in the US. We will be left with the very wealthy and the rest of us who will become the poor taxpayers and the poor.


How any thinking person who has read about the Paris massacre by terrorists can support these protesters trying to quiet the press and the open border terrorists in our own area is beyond me.


Maybe we can charter some buses to go down and help counter protest and support the Santa Barbara press and freedom of speech.


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@ Citizen. Well written! Keep up the good work!


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What next…attacking the new paper over publishing a cartoon of their prophet Cezar Chavez? You know, like just happened in Paris?


You can’t be for Freedom of Expression for only those you agree with my friends.


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The criminal-classes are taking care of their own. The Fibune wins the prize for spinelessness.


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This is the slope that we are on with enforcement of politically correct speech.

Those “offended” by speech they don’t like are now resorting to violence, property damage, and in the case of Muslims – murder, to get air their grievances.


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