Anti-immigration protest held in downtown area

<p>About a dozen members of a group calling itself the Bay Area National Anarchists staged an anti-immigration protest in downtown Petaluma Saturday.</p><!-- Nothing to do. The paragraph has already been output --><p>Andrew Yeoman of San Francisco, founder and spokesman for the group, said they were protesting “the ongoing effects of legal and illegal immigration.”</p><p>The group of about a dozen protesters gathered shortly after noon on the walkway on the east side of Petaluma Boulevard at Western Avenue and unfurled a large banner. One of the protesters was dressed as Uncle Sam.</p><p>Yeoman said the group had contacted police in advance. He said they used a bullhorn and also talked to people “one on one.” </p><p>Petaluma Police Lt. Mike Cook said that at 2:10 p.m., the police department was told that people were blocking a downtown sidewalk during the protest. A sergeant checked the situation out, and found that the protesters “were behaving within their legal rights.” </p><p>No other complaints were made, and no arrests were made.</p>