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ny C ACTIVITIES CONCERNING FARM WORKERS STRIKE RIO GRANDE CITY, TEXAS On July 4, 1966, about one-hundred nembers of the National Farm Workers Association began a march at Rio Grande City, Texas, which was terminated on Labor Day, September 5, 1966, at Austin, Texas. The purpose of this was test low wages id to nt farm workers. (oe 4aa76ae4n 73) son nigra On October 24, 1966, Eugene Nelson and a group of strikers proceeded to the center of the International Bridge spanning the Rio Grande River between Roma, Texas, and Ciudad Miguel Aleman, Mexico, where they stopped vehicles carrying farm laborers into the United Btates thus blocking traffic. Nelson was arrested after which about fifteen menbers of the group lay yee on the bridge completely blocking traffic, and they were aleo arrested, (100-444762-74,75) During 1966, the National Farm Workers Association merged with the United Farm Workers Organizing Committee and retained the latter name. On February 1, 1967, the Starr County Sheriff's Office, Rio Grande City, Texas, arrested ten individuals on charges of disturbing the peace when they entered the La Casita Yarns and harassed non-union workers. Reportedly two of those arrested were connected with the United Fars Workers Organizing Committee (UFWOC). Subsequently, during the spring and summer of 1967, there has been a series of incidents including the alleged harassment of non-union workers by members of the UFWOC. In one incident in May of 1967, Eugene Nelson was arrested at Rio Grande City, Texas, after he allegedly threatened Texas Rangers by stating there would be some dead rangers upless they left the UFWOC pickets alone. Nelson was jailed in lieu of a two-thousand- dollar bond. (100~-444762-104) The Department of Justice and other government agencies have been kept apprised of pertinent information regarding this situation of interest to them which has come #2 #bh4 .- 4 a hess oh ato om te ol at em hh woe to the attention of this Bureau through news media and other sources. No investigation under the Anti-Racketeering Statute has been requested by the Department in connection with this situation. However, a number of civil rights _ inquiries bave been conducted based on complaints of alleged oy mistreatment and denial of civil rights by law enforcement officials in connection with the strike situation in the Rio Grande City, Texas, area. The results of these investi- gations are summarized hereunder. mor