NBC cameraman flies Mexican flag at march

A cameraman for the NBC affiliate in Houston was captured on home video sporting a Mexican flag on his camera while covering a rally in the Texas city that supported illegal immigrants, drawing angry shouts from counter-protesters.

In the first of two clips posted on YouTube.com, a counter-protester with a bull horn can be heard condemning the cameraman's flag.

"Why does Channel 2 News have a Mexican flag on their camera?" the man asked.

Videographer from NBC affiliate KPRC-TV in Houston displays Mexican flag while covering an immigration march Saturday in Houston

Houston's NBC station is KPRC.

KPRC News Director Skip Valet told WND the cameraman's flying of the Mexican flag broke station rules.

"It violates our policy, because we're always objective observers of these situations," Valet told WND. "We don't take sides in news stories; we cover them. That policy was clearly violated."

The cameraman has been disciplined, Valet said, but he could not disclose details, because it's a personnel matter.

Valet said the employee has been with the station for about five years. He went to cover the event by himself, the news director said, with the exception of an intern.

The second YouTube clip shows a woman, after considerable protest of the cameraman, mounting an American flag alongside the Mexican banner on the camera. The cameraman helps the woman secure the U.S. flag in place.

A female voice from among the counter-demonstrators then is heard shouting angrily into a bullhorn.

"We are going to let Americans across the country know what you have done today. You are a disgrace, you need to be shut down. … "

The confrontation took place Saturday as hundreds of people marched to Houston's Mason Park for a rally in support of illegal immigrants. The Houston Chronicle reported the marchers blew whistles, banged on drums and chanted through loudspeakers as they carried U.S. and Mexican flags. Banners included one that said: "Amor sin la frontera: Love has no borders."

The paper said the counter-demonstrators were representatives of the group U.S. Border Watch, who stood across the street and waved American flags, chanting back at the marchers.

Curtis Collier, president of U.S. Border Watch, told the Chronicle his group is working every day to "save the sovereignty of this nation."

He believes more Americans are aware now of the issue of illegal immigration.

"I do think the American people are now aware of the problems – illegal immigration is putting a strain our on schools, our social services system and our justice system," Collier said.