The now-infamous Mexican fast food restaurant Illegal Pete’s opened Thursday evening despite protests and a petition, which gathered close to 3,000 signatures demanding the owner to “change the name or shut it down.”

Community members are outraged over the use of the word “illegal.” Critics argue the use of “illegal” in the name of a Mexican restaurant is racist, and solidifies a term that is often used to insult undocumented immigrants and many people of color. 

At the rally a small group of the 60-plus protesters (many of whom were members of the UA student activist group Movimiento Estudiantil Chican@ de Aztlán, or MEChA, immigration rights advocates and other allies), handcuffed and chained themselves as they stood in front of the entrance.

Upon entering, all restaurant visitors walked past a sign that read “Racists Enter Here.” A couple of demonstrators took photographs of all of those who walked into the place, which nearly caused a fight.

Preparing for the big opening, Illegal Pete’s staff had written messages and drawn symbols with chalk, such as peace signs and the restaurant’s logo, on the surrounding sidewalks but protesters sprayed water on them and erased most with their shoes. 

The gathering began at around 5 p.m., a few minutes after the official opening of the place, and was still going past 8 p.m. There were at least four Tucson Police officers on the scene. An hour into the protest, the cops told the students who were chained at the front entrance to move in case there was a fire, or another emergency, inside the restaurant. 

I guess on the business side of things, Illegal Pete’s was doing pretty well, because the line was long and tables were full. 

Owner Pete Turner says the “illegal” in Illegal Pete’s was never intended to be used in a bigoted connotation. He hopes to work with the community and alleviate the tension. In the meantime, he just wants everything to remain civil.

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This article appears in Dec 10-16, 2015.

I was born and raised in Guatemala City, Guatemala. I moved to Tucson about 10 years ago. Since I was old enough to enjoy reading, I developed an interest in writing, and telling stories through different...

48 replies on “Protesters Swarm Mexican Restaurant Illegal Pete’s Opening Night: ‘Racists Enter Here’ (SLIDESHOW)”

  1. America hating Grijalvalistas. Probably indoctrinated through TUSD.

    Tucson, meet yourself.

    5th poorest city in America, and damn proud of it.

  2. These people are the racists. Let’s all buy the football team dinner there tonight to show support.

    The UA should be ashamed of these students

  3. The funniest part about this article is that behind the protesters it appears Illegal Pete’s has it’s fair share of Mexican patrons. I think we need immigration reforms, but calling people who came here illegally “undocumented” instead of “illegal” is pretty stupid and does nothing at all. NOTHING.

    Why don’t these people protest something that actually matters instead of a small regional business that is hiring I assume legal Tucson residents? How about they protest ICE, or ANYTHING else? This is just inane.

  5. That’s right you racist pigs,hide yourself behind the enterprise system,how would they like it if a Mexican restaurant would open with the name the dirty polak or the singing ginni,or better yet the Irish borracho.You see that will never happend because we are not insensitive irresponsable racist hiding behind a name! The establishment should be forced to change its name.

  6. Previously, I postulated that the protestors could be the result of TUSD indoctrination.

    The more appropriate word, radicalized.

  7. Maria, how do you think we feel about a restaurant called “Cracker Barrel?” Racism against whites and gun parts all in one name? eat there all the time.

    You are being consumed by hatred and may be considered for deportation. Amongst all the misspellings Polack has a C in it. Brush up on your english. It’s the national language.

  8. Language is crazy right? How is a racial slur born and created? Is ‘illegal’ a racial/ethnic slur? When did this happen? Or is just a fabrication to hide uncomfortable truths?

    Ruben Navarrette Jr., a nationally renowned Chicano reporter wrote an opinion piece on the topic a few years ago. I think it is highly informative and it is the type of reporting a non-Chicano journalist probably would not be able to write without being called a racist by people like the poster above me, ‘Maria’.

    http://www.cnn.com/2012/07/06/opinion/navarrette-illegal-immigrant/index.html

    I wonder what Mr. Navarrette would think of our own local ‘illegal’ controversy?

  9. Here is a quote from Mr. Navarrette’s piece for those who do not want to read the whole thing:

    “This isn’t about documents. It has been my experience that many of those who have trouble with the phrase “illegal immigrant” are really troubled by something deeper — the fact that, at the end of the day, by supporting a pathway to earned legal status, they’re defending a group of people who engaged in unlawful activity. For some folks, this is messy business. So they try to sanitize it by changing the language.

    As a columnist, I don’t mind messy. I have never used “illegal aliens,” and I never will. And I don’t use “illegal” as a noun. But, like many other journalists, including those at CNN, I do use “illegal immigrant.” And I refuse to accept that doing so is tantamount to a hate crime. I don’t want to demean anyone. But, as someone who makes his living with words, I’d also prefer not to degrade the English language.”

    http://www.cnn.com/2012/07/06/opinion/navarrette-illegal-immigrant/index.html

  10. I bet none of those protesters will be there long. They will be gone during the weekend. See how strong their commitment is…..

  12. Too bad protestors don’t realize illegal is an adjective to describe many things. In this case as the owner said it is to describe his father and his lawless ways. Great new place!

    Thank you Protestors for the free Media advertising for the restaurant!

  13. I received a citation for parking illegally. It wasn’t my car that was illegal, it was my actions.

    Does IPete’s have Carne Seca? Can we see a menu?

  15. Look at all the free advertising “Petes” is getting. Most of these students just want to be in the news or on TV. Nothing illegal about Ilegal Petes. What’s in a name anyway? It could have been “Wetback Joes.” That’s racist.

  16. ADJECTIVE

    1.
    contrary to or forbidden by law, especially criminal law:
    “illegal drugs”

    synonyms: unlawful · illicit · illegitimate · criminal · felonious ·
    [more]

    NOUN

    1.derogatory NORTH AMERICAN
    a person present in a country without official authorization.

    As I stated before Illegal Pete’s in this case Illegal is an adjective not a noun. Educate yourselves before looking foolish.

  17. So, we underwrite in-state tuition for illegal alien “Dreamers” to get an education, and the squander our legally-hard-earned dollars by cutting class because they don’t like the word “illegal”? I am losing all empathy for these entitled, thin-skinned freeloaders. Trump 2016!

  18. It has been a long time since I was in an English class but ‘Illegal Pete’ is a proper noun, seeing as it is a name of a person and a place,. The use of Illegal in this case is not an adjective as it is part of the proper name of the place.

  21. If you’re not here legally, you should not get in-state tuition. Period. But that’s beside the point. These protesters are choosing to see offense in something that was not offensive. They are choosing, because they are a bunch of cowardly children of priviledge, to attack a family business whose owner has worked hard to get where he’s at, when they’ve never worked hard a day in their lives.
    Honestly, they’re disgusting, each and every one of those protesters there, they only make the world a worse place by their actions, I wish they would all go away forever. Every single one of them should be expelled from school and jailed for criminally harassing a local business and its patrons.

  22. The only racism I see there is the protester’s. “Illegal Pete’s” doesn’t imply a single thing about Mexicans, immigration, or anything related to what these children seem so fired up about.

    The protests will die down fast (these kids have a short attention span and no public support) and because the food is apparently delicious and reasonably priced for a place on University, the restaurant should do great! I really like that they pay above minimum wage apparently, and are very employee friendly. I’ve heard nothing but good about this place already (and I drive a taxi, so I speak to a lot of people).

  23. “Illegal Petes” is actually a business that strives to provide a fair wage and benefits to it’s workers. Something that is severally lacking in the service industry. Tucson should be happy the owner picked to open here and help provide much needed jobs directed towards the student population. Maybe the group that is protesting should worry about changing their name. Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlán (MEChA) uses the term “Aztlan” because it links their group with the indigenous people of the Aztec Empire. It is making a stand that the Southwest is their land and they should not assimilate to the United States.

    Personally, I equate them to the modern day KKK and how they did not want to live in melting pot where people learn from all cultures in our nation (go to MECha’s website, they do not like the idea of a melting pot). However, if that is their belief, so be it. Before they get offended by a word, maybe they should learn the history of Aztecs they claim to be descended from. More than likely if their linage is linked to present day Mexico, their ancestors were probably the thousands of other tribes the Aztecs tortured, raped, killed during sacrifices and conquered.

    Also during the time of the Mexican/American War only 75,000 Mexican citizens lived in what is present day Southwest of the US. It is not likely you are descended from them either. It is more likely you are related to the millions Mexican Immigrants that moved in into the Southwest after the US owned it and took land from actual native tribes like the Apache, Navajo, Hopi and Zuni.

    So my advice to these students is take an actual history class, not whatever bull-crap class that told you this was your land. Maybe then you will realize how luckily you are for living in the United States. If you do not believe me, there are millions of people just south of Tucson that would trade places with you in a heartbeat..

  24. Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlán (MEChA) is a hate group. If you do not believe me. Go to their website, replace the world MEChA or Chicano with KKK, Nazis, Aryan Brotherhood, or any other designated hate group.

    example:
    “Nazis involves a personal decision to reject assimilation and work towards the preservation of our cultural heritage. Recognizing that all people are potential Nazis members, we encourage those interested in developing a total commitment to our movement for self-determination for the people of Nazis to join Aryan Nation.”

    example:
    “We, as KKK must dismantle the co-optation of the Race students from becoming “corporate White people” claiming to be leaders of our community with no understanding of pure our race. Instead, KKK seeks to train future community leaders to be consciously committed to serve the White people.”

    Here is an actual text of on their About Us page. Which is literally bashing and disrespecting other Hispanic Americans that do not share their opinion..

    “The Mexican-American (Hispanic) is a person who lacks respect for his/her cultural and ethnic heritage. Unsure of her/himself, she/he seeks assimilation as a way out of her/his “degraded” social status. Consequently, she/he remains politically ineffective. In contrast, Chicanismo reflects self-respect and pride on one’s ethnic and cultural background. Thus, the Chicana/o acts with confidence and with a range of alternatives in the political world. She/he is capable of developing an effective ideology through action” (El Plan de Santa Barbara).

    http://www.nationalmecha.org/about.html

    Has this group ever apologized for their San Diego Chapter calling for the death of every Immigration Official of Latino Decent in 1995?

    “The case involved a MEChA’s publication, Voz Fronteriza. Voz Fronteriza published an editorial on the death of a Latino INS agent, entitled “Death of a Migra Pig.”The editorial called the Immigration and Naturalization Service agent a “traitor…to his race.” It expressed satisfaction with the agent’s death, “We’re glad this pig died, he deserved to die.” It didn’t stop there, “All the Migra pigs should be killed, every single one…the only good one is a dead one…The time to fight back is now.”

  25. This is ridiculous immigrants don’t OWN the word Illegal. So its not all about you. Not everyone is racist, its just a name of a restaurant. Just like the RED SKINS is just the name of a football team, it’s not anyone being racist towards Indians. Stop trying to stir up trouble. And get a real job.

  27. Then after the protesters left that evening, they all went for a much needed drink together at the restaurant “Gringos”.

  28. …leaving piles of trash in front of the business and then after consuming mass quantities got behind the wheel of a car. When the driver was pulled over, he/she/they claimed “racial profiling,” and started a new group call Brown Lives Matter.

    It’s the new Amerika. Where EVERYTHING is based on skin color.

  30. Should we be upset with a restaurant call “Cracker” Barrel …I think there are more important things going on in our world then this petty BS

  32. What a waste of time and breath! Worry about a name of a restaurant how stupid and ignorant can you get?!

  33. Responding to Ignorance with ignorance is just stupid. I think “Illegal Pete’s” is just a name but in a “Politically correct” society everybody looks for a reason to be offended. Truth is intentionally or unintentionally we will be offended on a regular basis, regardless of color and creed… Be offended, take 5 minutes to digest it and move on. The power on words is giving to words by us, “Illegal” is just a word, it has been there forever and it has a the same meaning on most languages. Get over it.

  34. Protesters “swarm?” From the photos and video I’ve seen, “protesters mill about” would be the better description” BTW, is Chick Fil A misogynist?

  35. We have the freedom of speech which means i can say what ever i want even if it offeneds you if you dont like it get out of the United States of America no one is saying you have to stay. Political correctness is a way to infringe on that right. Also why not adopt the American culture look we cultivated the greatest economy have the right to own land and own a gun to defend that land and can practice what ever religon you want. We did this in a 239 years. So when you attack a business for one word of the name you insult our culture. If you dont like it dont eat there plain and simple as for me i am going to illegal petes for lunch to show my support

    TED CRUZ FOR PRESIDENT

  36. ‘ Also why not adopt the American culture look we cultivated the greatest economy have the right to own land and own a gun to defend that land and can practice what ever religon you want. ‘

    red1989,

    If you do not like these students exercising their 1st amendment rights maybe you need to re-read the constitution! It is literally the 1st amendment, did you skip straight to the 2nd?

    I don’t agree with the protesters but I even more strongly disagree with head in the sand wing nuts like you. You are exercising your rights on a message board while these students are out in the streets protesting and practicing free speech, doing something they believe in, in a legal constitutional manner. Maybe you have something to learn from them?

  37. What’s the difference between Cracker Barrel and Illegal Pete’s? Both have a possibLe racial slur in the name. I’m white, and I eat at both Cracker Barrel and Illegal Pete’s all the time. Whether “cracker” refers to a white person or actual crackers, and “illegal” refers to Mexicans illegally crossing the border, stealing our tax money, and taking our jobs, or the owner’s father, who did illegal things quite often. Everyone gets too offended too quickly. Maybe you should try Illegal Pete’s. It’s really good.

  38. “Maria, how do you think we feel about a restaurant called “Cracker Barrel?” Racism against whites and gun parts all in one name? eat there all the time.

    You are being consumed by hatred and may be considered for deportation. Amongst all the misspellings Polack has a C in it. Brush up on your english. It’s the national language.”

    Maria = REKT

    Please note readers, María Inés Taracena is a Guatemalan radical who promotes the mental illness of transgenderism and illegal immigration. She hates America and appears to strongly dislike all white people.

    “LIKE” her articles and you are basically a cuckhold, a traitor to America. But please, feel free to read and laugh at them.

    This is what the school of journalism at the University of Arizona produced.

    Thanks Maria for being a weekly advertisement for me to convert my friends into Trump supporters!

  40. Reading the comments proves the student’s point. Lots of ethnocentrism out there. As a Tucson native I’ve always found it interesting how we live in a city so divided that all the “Mexicans” are concentrated and then pushed to the perifory in their own little pueblito of South Tucson. Yeah, sure we are everywhere, but the Old Pueblo was not our’s . It’s easy to make generalizations about the consistent pattern of marginalization my brown brothers, sisters, our parents and abuelos experienced even though we had been a part of the landscape for generations and quite frankly continue to experience it’s remnants in well established patterns that dominate our daily lives. Those of you who can’t fathom such a possibility are beyond arguing with. You are blind. It is so much a part of your reality that you can’t possibly see that others are offended. It’s not about being politically correct. It’s about a history of epithets that continue to this day. “Illegal” is just code for spic, wetback, greaser, and everything else that has been used to separate and degrade us. So no I don’t expect those of you who don’t get it to understand. And I I’m not surprised so many jump right on the bandwagon waving the flag of oppression as a good thing. For many people it is just the way things have always been, but some of us are no longer going to sit idly while it continues and not bring it to your attention. So throw more epithets and ignore reality all you want. Your worst nightmare is about to become a reality. Equality and consideration of others is on the horizon. Sí se puede.

  41. Sí se puede.

    My worst nightmare? My nightmare ends in 2016 when Trump gets elected and we make America great again.

    You do not get to co-opt the word and definition of “illegal”. If anyone comes here fraudulently, whether it be via coyote or overstaying their student visa with the intent of living as a citizen, they are an illegal alien and a criminal.

    I will do you one better, multi-multiculturalism is a code for white genocide.

    Why can’t you go back and make your own countries great? You just won’t be satisfied until every white person is subjugated for your imaginary equality.

    But please, continue to stand in front of a restaurant with a “no no” name for a few hours. I will be at the polling station voting for Trump to send you ass back over the WALL.

    Ruben Navarrette, Jr., a supporter of comprehensive immigration who has “studied and written about Chavez and the United Farm Workers … for more than 20 years,” wrote in a 2010 essay that “the historical record shows that Chavez was a fierce opponent of illegal immigration.” He added that “it’s unlikely that he’d have looked favorably on a plan to legalize millions of illegal immigrants.”

    Si se puede indeed…

  42. Hey Old Pueblo,

    Most people who are in this country illegally entered the country with legal documentation, ie. visas. These people are guilty of ‘Unlawful Presence’ which is NOT a criminal offence and it is incorrect to label them criminals. It is a violation of federal immigration laws but it is a civil offense, not a criminal one.

    It is only criminal to ‘enter or attempt to enter the United States at any time or place other than designated by immigration officers; Elude examination or inspection by immigration officers; or attempt to enter or obtain entry to the United States by willfully concealing, falsifying, or misrepresenting material facts.’

    Basically you are wrong to label all illegal immigrants as criminals. Most of them have committed a civil offense, and thus are NOT criminals. Have you ever gotten a speeding ticket? THAT is a criminal offense… Just saying.

    Criminal immigration offenders, ie ‘border hoppers’ can be punished with up to 6 months imprisonment and get a criminal record.

    Unlawful presence offenders only face the civil punishment of deportation.

    This distinction is minor but it is very important when someone like you labels all 12 million illegal immigrants as criminal when only a small percentage actually qualify as criminals under the law.

    Now that you know you won’t make that mistake again, right?

  43. @ HumanBean. This is a cultural and linguistic war, I know the game and the common fallacies employed in online “debates”.

    You are attempting to morph “illegal” into “unlawful”, thus making “illegal” not “criminal”.

    This is were your argument goes completely into the trash….just saying.

    How did someone come to be in this country “UNLAWFULLY”, other than remaining after an expired visa? Did they teleport here? They obviously “border hopped”, they did not materialize here.

    Do you want to appeal to my emotions next? Maybe some good old bible verses cherry picked to show that Jesus loves “immigrants” ? Maybe something about the poem at the bottom of the Statue of Liberty? Tell me about the poor, poor children who are suffering to appeal to my humanity? Appeal to my fiscal sensibility by informing me about how they pay taxes with amazingly, no benefit? Inform me of the current year? (It’s 2015 – wow, just wow, just saying)

    We either have a nation or we don’t.

  44. I was trying to educate you on a few of the legal and semantic complexities regarding immigration. The way IT IS, not the way you dream that it is or want it to be. ‘Illegal immigrant’ is not a racist term and at the same time most illegal immigrants are not criminals. What is so hard about the left and the right in understanding this? Those of us in the middle have to shovel a lot of shit because of how polarized our country has become.

    You can lead a donkey to water, but it’s still a jackass.

  45. “I’m trying to EDUCATE YOU”.

    “This is the way it IS”.

    “Why can’t the left and right understand my middle stance?”

    There is a cultural war occurring. On one hand, if you attempt to have a sensible conversation about immigration, your representatives get together behind closed doors and decide to grant Amnesty for everyone here illegally – even when they stated they would not.

    On the other hand, you just keep saying no, enforce the law, and you still have to watch each and every representative to ensure that they are not making a backroom deal from amnesty.

    The country is polarized, that’s a fact. One side will impose their will on the other, there is no more middle ground. I used to laugh at people who dealt in absolutes, until Bruce Jenner’s mental illness was celebrated and opposing unchecked illegal immigration made that person a racist.

    Now, you can tap-dance around Websters and INFORM ME (It’s 2015 – the current year) that illegal aliens are just actually illegal IMMIGRANTS engaging in “criminal activity” – they aren’t really criminals (because they have not been captured, prosecuted, sentenced and deported yet).

    You can even curse to be a little edgy and appear authentic. You can even insult me by calling me a name. But you don’t get to bend the English language to benefit foreign parasites breaking American Law.

    A nation without laws is not a nations. Either we have a country, or we don’t.

    Si Se Puede, Trump 2015!

  46. I’m a little late to this discussion, but after viewing the slideshow of YOUNG chained together protesters with all their bravado “raza” pride, I’ll bet hardly any of them can speak Spanish.

  47. “WHITE POWER RULE$” : we are not racists, we have money to create jobs and open a business because we are armerikans.

  48. Never mind the 30-thousand residents of Santa Fe when the Mayflower landed. What’s important is shooting everyone who crosses the southern border ‘illegally’ which is why Mexico “is going to pay for a fence”.

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