Cocopah Tribe Says No To "Yuma Patriots" Vigilante Group

On Wednesday night the Yuma Patriots, another of those right wing vigilante outfits formed to “safeguard” our borders from God Knows What, were turned around by the the Cocopah Tribal Police (CTP) as they were trying to begin their patrols.

A blockade of vehicles stopped the “patriots” in their tracks and ordered them off reservation land. The "patriots" were told by CTP officers that "they had already entered Cocopah Indian Reservation and they should turn around." The tribe had warned the Patriots that they would not be welcome on tribal land earlier. A statement from the Cocopah Tribal Council released Tuesday said "it is not in the best interest of our community to allow this on our lands."

The statement from the tribe said the Patriots should not return. "We, as a sovereign nation, have asked that they not enter our lands, as law-abiding people, we expect that they will not return, that they will respect our laws and lands. We are obligated to protect the safety of our community, and the integrity of the laws of Cocopah," the statement said.

A lawyer for the Patriots group hinted that the Indians were up to something illegal in the area. "I think they have something to hide," said attorney John Minore. "As a criminal attorney, I know the hot spots for criminal activity, and there is a lot of drug smuggling and alien smuggling that occurs through the reservation." Then, in somewhat of a contradiction, he added he didn’t think the tribe itself was involved in any criminal actions.

But Patriot’s founder Flash Sharrar (I kid you not) says his group plans to head back again today. He says his group has some hunting and fishing licenses that allow them on the reservation. I guess they are hunting and fishing for “illegals.”

William Michael Smith general counsel for the Cocopah tribe, told the Yuma Sun, "Those were purchased under a false pretense. It's not hunting season, and there's no water to fish in. The pretense was they were purchased for people from out of town, and they implied it was for the future."

In fact Sharrar is quoted in the Washington Times as giving this reason for his groups operations and I suppose those hunting licenses, "It is about this country being overrun. ... It is our civic duty as citizens of Yuma to stop this crisis.”

Old Flash, who owns a transmission repair shop in Yuma, started the group after his son said he was assaulted by banditos along the border on Easter.Sources: Yuma Sun, Washington Times, Arizona Republic, Indianz, KYMA TV (New Mexico), Pechanga

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