Amid Joe Arpaio Trial, Protests Move to Sheriff's Church

close

Video

Protests Outside Sheriff Joe Arpaio's church

Two opposing groups gathered early Sunday morning to make their voices heard.

FOUNTAIN HILLS, Ariz. – As the controversial Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio faces accusations of ethnic profiling, two separate protests collided in front of his church.

One group against Maricopa County Sheriff Arpaio and another in support of him in Fountain Hills. Those for Arpaio especially took issue over protesting in front of a place of worship.

"Those people have no respect, no regard, no concern and no consideration for parishioners.  A church is a place of worship, a church is not a place to go stage protests..if you want to stage a protest, do it at the Sheriff's office," said Lvov.

It was a war of signs waged in the Sheriff's home town and a war of words between those who support him and those against the Sheriff also had plenty to say.

"Sheriff Joe reads the law and he follows it..that's what he was elected to do," said Gary Lvov, who supports Arpaio.

An activist group called the National Tequila Party Movement organized the protest in front of the Church of Ascension, a Catholic Church the Sheriff attends.

"He victimizes the Latino population and the poor so he can get votes in Sun City and Ahwatukee..he's totally against the people," said Steve Yockey, who supports John Rowan for Sheriff.

The founders of the NTPM paced outside the church with a bullhorn.

"Time for you to take a stand.  The citizens of the state of Arizona are fed up.  We are tired of footing the bill for Joe Arpaio."

"I think it's disgraceful.  These people are doing themselves no favors or by trying to solicit Catholics to agree with them," said Vince Ansel, a church parishioner.

Arpaio protestors disagree.  They say their message on Sunday was aimed at the Catholic church as well as Sheriff Arpaio.

"Several of our supporters and our members are members of the Catholic Church and what we're asking Rev. Bishop Olmstead to do is to please publicly condemn Joe Arpaio's culture of death," said NTPM's Dee Dee Garcia Blase.

For more stories from Phoenix, Arizona go to myfoxphoenix.com.

Follow us on twitter.com/foxnewslatino
Like us at facebook.com/foxnewslatino