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May Day March Smaller, But Just as Dedicated

EGP Staff & CNS Reports

An estimated 10,000 people — many carrying flags, signs or air horns — paraded and rallied in downtown Los Angeles last week in support of immigrants’ rights, a year after a similar rally ended in clashes between police, demonstrators and journalists.

Despite that violent history, last week’s May Day march appeared to go on without any trouble, with five arrests reported, and participants being generally peaceful as they called for changes in federal immigration laws, an end to raids on employers of undocumented workers and amnesty or a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants.

Organizers had predicted 20,000 to 100,000 participants, but the lower turnout mirrored similar attendance drops all across the country.

Their message, nonetheless, continued to echo the calls for comprehensive immigration reform heard during the 2006 and 2007 marches that drew hundreds of thousands of protesters.

“I think Los Angeles is a pioneer, kind of leading the nation in bringing the issue of immigration reform to the American consciousness,’’ said William Torres, 41, of Monterey Park, and a leader of one of the event organizers, the March 25th Coalition.

“Is it fair that we only exploit them for their cheap labor and deny them citizenship when they love this country, they die for this country?” he asked.

Marchers set off from three different locations, with many participants shouting slogans in Spanish and English and waving signs, some of which read “Immigration Reform Now” and “Citizenship YES! Deportation NO!”

The groups converged around Fifth Street and Broadway and marched north to the main rallying point at Broadway and First Street.

The crowd remained vocal but civil, and was generally festive, with vendors selling hot dogs and ice cream and participants using air horns and rattles to make noise. Many carried American flags and some had Mexican flags.
By 6:30 p.m., only about 200 people remained at 1st Street and Broadway, authorities said.

Some changes made as a result of last year’s march were evident as officers milled around, with serial numbers printed on officers’ helmets and large, electronic signs guiding demonstrators along the march route.
Another change was the absence of motorcycle officers.

“We’re not planning to control folks on foot with motorcycle cops,” Deputy Chief Sergio Diaz said. “We have a fair number of officers on foot, officers on bicycles ... and we also have officers nearby in cars, ready to respond and arrest people.’’

Although high school students were urged to stay in school, the Los Angeles Unified School District reported that 753 students left campuses to take part in the rally.

Jessica Rodriguez, 18, a student at Schurr High School in Montebello, said her grandfather took her and her younger brother, Alex, out of school Thursday to attend the rally. Their father is an organizer for the March 25 Coalition.

“We think it’s important that all the people have an opportunity to live here,” she said.

Villaraigosa said he wants federal authorities to ease up on tactics that antagonize the immigrant community.

Last month, he met with Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff in Washington, D.C., where he asked that federal authorities stop arresting workers at “non-exploitative” businesses. Instead, federal immigration officials should target dangerous or violent criminals, he said.

“At a time when (Immigrations and Customs Enforcement) has said that they don’t have the resources to go after those undocumented (who have) committed serious felonies but do have the resources to go after legitimate employers, what I’m saying is we need to prioritize our resources,” Villaraigosa said.

Villaraigosa said he and Chertoff disagreed on the issue during the meeting, but the Homeland Security secretary did agree to set up a task force to look at the immigration-related issues that are important to the city of Los Angeles.
Los Angeles City Councilman Jose Huizar, who was born in Mexico and grew up in Boyle Heights, said immigrants come to the United States for the same reason — economic opportunities.

“Immigrants make enormous sacrifices and contribute significantly to our economic prosperity. My father came to this country during the first bracero program and my grandfather helped build Los Angeles City Hall and returned to Mexico,” Huizar said.

“The spirit of immigration is all about bettering our lives and providing better opportunities for our families. The marches demonstrate the importance of those values.”