Immigrant Rights Protestors Gather at Pruitt's

Immigrant rights protesters were back in front of Pruitt's furniture store near 36th Street and Thomas Road Tuesday morning.

They claim the owner of the store hired Maricopa County sheriff's deputies to patrol against day laborers last Saturday.

It appears the sheriff's office believed that protests planned for the site were supposed to begin that day.

Martin Manteca, Arizona director of the laborers' union, was with day laborers in front of the store and saw deputies in three marked and one unmarked car.

"They first asked me if they could ask me a question. I said ‘no, you don't have the right to ask me a question.' But, then they proceeded, letting us know that if we are not here shopping, that they will remove the vehicle," said Manteca.

They moved the cars but stayed in front of the store. "We witnessed the four officers sitting in their vehicles, getting paid with taxpayers' money, wasting gas, looking at us," he said.

Manteca claims the Pruitt's owner has hired the sheriff's department to patrol the store at taxpayers' expense.

Immigrant rights supporters plan to hold weekly protests at the store beginning Saturday at noon.