Los Angeles Cardinal Roger Mahony joins hands with others in leading the May Day rally in downtown Los Angeles. Credit: Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times
From California to New Yorks Long Island and from Chicago to Miami, hundreds of thousands to to the streets to show support for immediate immigration reform and their opposition to Arizona’s SB-1070, America’s version of apartheid.
In Los Angeles, Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck estimated that about 50,000 immigration rights activists participated in Saturday’s May Day rally.
“All this was an estimate,” Beck said when asked about the department’s earlier projection. “These are educated guesses. We were unable to tell what the event in Arizona would do, so we estimated 100,000 people.”]
Only one arrested was reported for a minor vandalism incident.
“The event was peaceful,” Beck said. “Everyone who came out here was peaceful,” Beck said.
“Everyone got to do what they came out here to do, which is express their issues.”
Beck attributed the peacefulness of Saturday’s march to months of coordination between police and the march organizers.
“We spent months with organizers making sure we were all on the same page,” Beck said.
In Dallas today at one of the largest of the rallies, with attendance estimated at more than 20,000. Marchers were led by the city’s Catholic bishop. About 100 anti-immigrant counter-protesters stood near the march route demanding that Latino demonstrators “Show us your driver’s licenses”.
In Houston, more than 7.000 Patriotic Americans turned out demanding immigration reform at a march along Bellaire Boulevard in southwest Houston.
Like their counterparts across the country, Houstonians held signs, chanting, “Sí, se puede” and “Yes, we can.” Others carried American flags and beat drums.
At the University of Michigan, 500 protesters held a mock graduation outside of a graduation ceremony at which President Obama is the commencement speaker. The protest was to highlight the deportation of undocumented students and to buil support for passage of an immigration reform bill that includes the DREAM act. And if anyone missed the Presidents speech, it was one of the best I’ve ever heard, bar none. The crowd was on its feet many times throughout the speech as the President urged the crowd to dismiss the radical name calling of the extreme left and extreme right and educate ones self on the issue so that America can come together and debate the issues as adults. Good advice from a good man.
In New York City, an early rally drew more than 5,000 people to Foley Square. The event, organized by unions, is only the first of several planned around the city.
The small city of Reno, Nevada, saw 300 people rally for immigration reform.
In Boston, 3,000 marched in one of several demonstrations for immigrant rights in that city today.
Thousands of immigrant rights supporters rallied in Atlanta. Many said they feared that the Georgia legislature may soon be the scene of the introduction of a law like Arizona’s.
In Milwaukee, more than 2,000 immigrants marched through the streets calling for immigration reform.
In Tucson Arizona, Some 3,000 marchers made their way from South Tucson to downtown’s Armory Park this morning for this cities May First rally.
The crowd filled the width of South Sixth Avenue and the procession stretched several blocks. Dozens of other people were waiting along the sidewalks waiting to join the march.
Several carried signs critical of Arizona’s new immigration law and many shouted, “Sí se puede,” a familiar chant among immigrant rights supporters which loosely translates to “It can be done.”
In Chicago, somewhere between 8,000 to 10,000 gathered at a park on Chicago’s West Side and marched
In San Diego, more than 1,000 people marched through the streets of downtown to call for immigration reform and the repeal of Arizona law SB-1070. More than 300 people had also gathered at a May Day rally at Barrio Logan’s Chicano Park earlier.
At the federal building, people on the two sides of the immigration debate gathered on opposite sides of Front Street, at times chanting loudly.
Those who favor the Arizona law chanted “USA” and “Build a Fence!” while immigration activists called out, “What do we want? Justice, When do we want it? Now!”
San Diego Minutemen leader Jeff “Bikini Boy”Schwilk, fresh from another court loss where he was ordered to pay an undocumented immigrant damages for slander, said he had come out to support for law enforcement and Arizona’s immigration law. The handful of participants in his rally carried signs with such messages as, “Illegals take American jobs,” and “Get tough on those who hire illegals.” At its peak, the gathering numbered about 125 people.
The situation grew tense for a while, with the groups standing just a few feet apart with police in between. Participants traded insults, including “racist!” and “illegal criminals!” and extended middle fingers a few times. There were no reports of violence.
San Diego Police eventually moved the groups about 50 feet apart and separated them with yellow police tape suspended about three feet in the air.
As the numbers of participants began to dwindle, Schwilk, resplendent in undergarments from Fredericks of Hollywood peeking above his belt, said he was thrilled with the event, which was organized in response to the May Day rally.
“It’s great,” he said. “Free speech. We have a large mob showing exactly who their loyalties are with.”
Schwilk mentioned that he had seen symbols of anarchy and communism in the crowd of immigration activists.
“It’s exactly what we expected to see,” he said. (Schwilk, like his soul buddy William Gheen of ALIPAC, always see what they want to see, despite nothing being in evidence)
And in Washington, Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.) was arrested outside the White House on Saturday during a May Day protest for immigration reform.
Guiterrez had been speaking to a crowd of hundreds at Lafayette Square when he announced that he was going to go to the White House fence with other protesters, sit down, and not move until he was arrested or until comprehensive immigration reform was signed.
Gutierrez, who chanted “Si se puede” (“Yes, it is possible”) along with other demonstrators, linked arms with other protesters and took a seat along the White House fence. He was warned to move by police, and when he did not comply he was arrested with a few dozen other protesters.
The crowd chanted the congressman’s name as he was led onto the bus.
Representative Gutierrez, is a true American Patriot and a rare breed of man who stands for what he believes in and goes to the wall for that belief. Way to go Louis. You have the respect of a nation.
Nationwide, counter protesters were a distinct minority. A dozen here, and dozen there or less. More and more, anti immigrant groups such as ALIPAC are beginning to see the futility of their efforts as proponents of immigration reform make their voices heard. And they’re seeing that their silly polls, which suggest that a majority of American support their enforcement only tactics are in fact, incorrect and fraudulent.
All in all, todays protests were peaceful and orderly, again, contrary to William Gheen of ALIPAC emergency press release warning of riots in the streets and mayhem against Americans. Hell, the majority protesting were patriotic Americans, such as myself, tired of Americas broken immigration system
Thanks to out friends at LONG ISLAND WINS for contributing to this article
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