There’s only so much harassment a farmers’ market can take.

That's what market manager Alan Ward and two vendors were thinking on Wednesday, Feb. 13, when a certain attention-hungry Mexican flag-burner descended in front of the downtown Bank of America building to get on his bullhorn.

When he turned his bullhorn in the direction of the farmers' market--with some not-so-kind expletives about the bleeping vendors--Ward and two vendors got Martha Stewart on the anti-immigration yahoo with some fabric and a few umbrella poles. 

The trio went to the B of A and blocked him out, using the fabric and poles as a sort of curtain. According to Ward, no one talked to the asshat. They just stood there covering the protester, outside of his little circle.

Then Mr. Asshat began to hit the poles with his bullhorn. This led to a gaggle of Tucson Police Department officers handcuffing him and taking him away in a police car. 

Ward says one of the vendors was asked if they were interested in pressing charges, but she declined. She probably should have pressed charges: Mr. Provocateur responded by unlovingly filing a harassment injunction against Ward on Valentine’s Day. Ward says he was served the papers at his home on Saturday.

"He claims in the injunction that we attempted to steal one of his banners and attempted to tear down his property," Ward says. "It’s crazy. Now I'm wondering if this were actually approved, what would happen to the market? How would I manage the market if I couldn't be here?”

Meanwhile, just this afternoon, Mr. Asshat Provocateur sent out his semi-regular e-mail bulletin. In the latest missive, he announced that a Tucson Municipal Court judge has issued an order prohibiting him from protesting near the farmers' market Never fear: He's says he's still planning on being there this Wednesday, Feb. 20 at the B of A building "... rocking and rolling and Burning Mexican Flags."

He declares his protest is about evil American corporations taking advantage of Mexican labor. If that's really his POV, then why not burn an American flag and a paper mache doll of George Bush?