NEWS & LETTERS, June - July 2009
Immigrants march for human rights
Los Angeles--The May 1 multiple demonstrations here for immigrants' and workers' rights were a continuation of the massive national protests since March 25. They erupted against federal legislation proposed by Rep. Sensenbrenner that would criminalize all undocumented immigrants and those who support them as felons. The issue, then as now, is human rights for all undocumented immigrants.
In the suburb of Cerritos, the South Asian Network organized a march for Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi and Bengali immigrants. They protested against police harassment, detention, border militarization, and for human rights. Afterward, many joined the march in downtown Los Angeles.
The downtown march, organized by the Southern California Immigration Coalition, demanded full rights for all immigrants, especially the right to family unity.
Another march started from Echo Park and continued to the historic Olvera Street downtown. It was sponsored by the Multi-ethnic Immigrant Worker Organizing Network and the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights-L.A. and included a large contingent from Teamster Solid Waste Workers.
Signs read: "We are human, stop the raids, humane immigration reform now," "Stop detention and deportation," "Amnesty for all," "Support the Employee Free Choice Act," and "Legalization now," referring to the 12 million undocumented workers in the U.S.
As the march ended we all participated in a giant card stunt meant for President Obama that from the air read: "WORKERS FIRST."
--Basho
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