Sandiega Esperantisto enproblemig'as pro defendi la Parkon de la Amikeco

Friend of Friendship Park leader to appear in Federal Court
For Immediate Release
June 9, 2009
Friends of Friendship Park leader to appear in Federal Court
Dan Watman was detained and removed from historic border park while
attempting to ensure public access now faces trespassing charges
CONTACT:
Pedro Rios: 619/ 370-5908 director of the American Friends Service
Committee, and member of Friends of Friendship Park
Dan Watman: 619/ 954-9710, Coordinator of Border Encuentro and member of
Friends of Friendship Park
Dan Watman will be arraigned on Wednesday, June 10, 2009 at 8:30 AM at
Federal Court 940 Front Street, he will be available for comments after the
hearing.
On April 8th Dan Watman stood in front of earthmovers at Friendship Park
on the southwesterly-most corner of San Diego County. In doing so, Dan
effectively became the last San Diegan to have public access to Friendship
Park, a unique place where friends and families from Tijuana and San Diego have
used as a gathering place on this border.
For over a year, local faith, community and educational leaders have come
together to prevent the construction of a border wall across Friendship
Park and destroying the spirit of friendship that this gathering place has
become to symbolize on our shared border.
In recent weeks Department of Homeland Security officials have made public
statements that public access to this historic landmark may be restored.
For over six years, Mr. Watman has been organizing multiple events at
Friendship Park in order to continue the legacy of friendship that was
established at the site when then First Lady Pat Nixon inaugurated the park in
1971.
“I feel like I stood in the way of what was wrong and sent a symbolic
message of the importance of friendship,” said Dan Watman an educator and
leader of the Friends of Friendship Park, an advocacy group that promotes public
access to the unique gathering place in Southern San Diego County.
On May 29th the Save Our Heritage Organization presented the prestigious
People in Preservation Award, to Friends of Friendship Park for its
outstanding advocacy for preserving public access to Friendship Park. The City
Council of San Diego joined the Save Our Heritage Organization in recognizing
Friends of Friendship Park for its work in defense of public access to our
state parks.
###