A border wall opponent briefly stopped construction Wednesday of a portion of the structure that is to separate the Rio Bosque Park, a wetland in the Lower Valley that is the last remnant of the thick groves of trees and vegetation that once thrived along the banks of the river, from the Rio Grande.
Judy Ackerman was arrested after a several-hour standoff in which authorities tried to figure out who had jurisdiction. Ackerman will speak at an event -- also featuring the band Mexicans at Night and others -- to take place from 7-10 p.m. Saturday at Cafe Mayapan, 2000 Texas.
Another activist on the scene was detained for about two hours -- handcuffed, with no charges, and told she would be turned over to the Border Patrol, according to those on the scene -- and eventually released after she and others refused to be led away. The activists also credited the presence of city Rep. Eddie Holguin -- who walked in with water -- for the eventual release.
Ackerman stood in the way of construction crews Wednesday morning, denying them access to the construction site, which is on International Boundary and Water Commission property directly adjacent to the park. Ackerman is a Northeast El Paso resident active in environmental issues.
Bill Addington, another border wall opponent, said Wednesday morning that city of El Paso police and Border Patrol were on the scene, but had not arrested Ackerman yet. Her arrest would not come for several hours, after officials figured out who had jurisdiction. The arrest was made by the Department of Public Safety.
"I hope others will replicate this," said Addington, who made national news when the Wall Street Journal wrote about the government's demand he take down a footbridge crossing the Rio Grande. [video] [article]
He said the action by Ackerman marks "the first time anyone has impeded the construction that I know of, and I've been paying attention to this very closely."
Doug Mosier, Border Patrol spokesman, said he didn't know of any other similar instances.
He said that officials still were gathering information.
"The protester at this moment has not been arrested, although that may be forthcoming," he said at about 11:15 a.m. Wednesday. "But we need to wait and see what happens here."
Eventually, DPS was found to have jurisdiction and made the arrest.
The 372-acre Rio Bosque Park is described on its Web site as a remnant of the wetlands and riverside forests that "once graced the banks of the Rio Grande in the Paso del Norte region. They were the most productive natural habitats in the region, but today they are virtually gone. At Rio Bosque, the environment is still changing, but in a new way. Here, a diverse partnership is working to bring back meaningful examples of the unique and valuable ecosystems once found in our river valley." [link]
A newsletter put out by the Center for Environmental Resource Management, which manages the park, stated the impact of the wall: "At the Park, the visual impact of the fence will be immediate and obvious. The ecological impact will be gradual and more subtle, but no less real. For many animals, the fence will be a barrier to movement between the Rio Grande and the Park and a barrier to genetic exchange. Over time, the fence will affect what species get established at Rio Bosque and, for some species, the long-term health and viability of the populations present."
