Minutemen accused of trashing a "Virgen de Guadalupe" chapel

by
Ernesto Cienfuegos
La Voz de Aztlan

The Virgen de Guadalupe Chapel built by Mexican migrant workers at McGonigle Canyon in north San Diego

Los Angeles, Alta California - August 15, 2007 - (ACN) A former member of the San Diego Minutemen has accused its leader and others of desecrating and trashing a "Virgen de Guadalupe" chapel at a Mexican migrant worker's camp in McGonigle Canyon. The chapel was built by the agricultural workers to worship the much venerated Mexican mother of Jesus on Sunday masses. Christie Czajkowski, who has since turned against the San Diego Minutemen, has provided a video that shows the beautiful shrine to "La Reina de Mexico" and the vigilantes trashing the makeshift homes of the Mexican migrant workers that labor in the tomato fields nearby. Christie Czajkowski turned the video over to a San Diego news service.

The video depicts the Minutemen standing before the "Virgen de Guadalupe" chapel, suddenly goes off-camera and then loud smashing sounds can be heard. "Oh no, I won't let you, I'm sorry," Czajkowski is heard yelling. Christie Czajkowski is a Christian. The San Diego Police Department is presently investigating the case. Some of the people in the videos have had their homes searched as part of a police investigation into the vandalism at the north San Diego Mexican workers camp. That attack caused an estimated $600 in damages and a $10,000 reward has been offered for information leading to an arrest in the case.

McGonigle Canyon in north San Diego has been the scene of horrific hate crimes against Mexican migrant workers. On July 2, 2000, the badly bruised body of a migrant worker was found along a dirt road in the canyon. The Mexican migrant worker had been dragged on his face behind a vehicle and dumped beside the road. Three days later, on July 5, 2000, eight White juveniles savagely beat five elderly migrant workers in the same area. The dragging death was never solved but the eight juveniles were arrested and convicted for the beatings. There are reports on these incidents at:

http://www.aztlan.net/lynched.htm
http://www.aztlan.net/vigilantethugs.htm
http://www.aztlan.net/letter_sdpolicechief.htm
http://www.aztlan.net/dragkill.htm