“Free Palestine! Out with the occupation!”, “Ceasefire, now” and “Stop the war!” was the cry of thousands of Angelenos who participated in different marches during Labor Day in Hollywood, MacArthur Park and Boyle Heights, while in Santa Ana the focus of the protest was to demand immigration reform from President Joe Biden.
“My message to the world is that all workers have a responsibility to continue organizing and fighting against the United States’ involvement in sending billions of dollars to Israel,” said Noor Abdel-Haq, a nursing student of Palestinian origin. at Cal State LA
“We need to demand an end to funding Israel and start investing that money in workers, in the community and in students.”
This year, the motto of the Los Angeles May Day Coalition was: “Solidarity is power and The people are united”, in which the demand to bring peace to Gaza prevailed, which has cost the lives of more than 34,000 deaths, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health and 77,143 have been injured
“Everything that is happening is very painful; “There is a lot of suffering,” said Los Angeles Councilman Hugo Martínez Soto. “We have said this many times in the past, and I hope that a deal will be reached and there will be peace.”
Humanity and dignity
“We all deserve respect,” “Power to the people,” “No immigrants, no food,” “We are the economic force,” read some of the thousands of signs from workers who gathered at the intersection of Sunset Boulevard and Bower Street. , in Hollywood.
“On this national and international day we take stock of the contributions of all workers, and, in addition, we recognize their humanity and dignity,” said Angélica Salas, executive director of CHIRLA, “There is much work to do, on behalf of those who They silently do the hardest work, but are often mistreated and unfairly paid.”
The thousands of protesters defied the high temperature that was recorded at the beginning of the march in Hollywood, where historic labor struggles continue for better salaries for janitors, who could go on strike this May 6.
“Let the rich clean up! We are going to strike!” was the shout coming from the megaphone of Juan Way, a Guatemalan janitor affiliated with the SEIU-USWW union, who has been working in building and office cleaning for four decades.
The contingent marched north on Gower to Hollywood Boulevard and culminated in a second demonstration at Hollywood and Highland Avenue.
“The main point of our protest is the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip,” said Angela Sanbrano, president of the CARECEN Board of Directors.
“The Palestinian people deserve peace and justice; “We know that the weapons, the bombs and all the weapons that Israel is using for the genocide of the Palestinians are from the United States,”
Sanbrano added that the demonstrations that have spread to numerous universities in the country are the result of the frustration of the American people because the war and the ceasefire have not been resolved.
‘Palestine’
In the Plaza del Mariachi, in Boyle Heights, Carlos Montes, director of the CSO Center, stated that the Mexican, Latino and Chicano people of the United States “stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people in their fight for justice and self-determination.”
“What Israel is doing is a massive massacre; “When the United States invaded Vietnam, it killed more than a million people and that was a genocide similar to what they are doing to the Palestinian people.”
In that march, protesters demanded legalization for 12 million undocumented immigrants and the 80,000 people who are protected by the DACA program; community control over the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD), prosecution of police gangs and the non-intervention of the United States in Latin America and Mexico.
Regarding the request for community control over the Sheriff’s Department, Montes said that, now more than ever, it is necessary, after the murder of Reina… a 28-year-old Latino man who suffered from schizophrenia and harassed the customers of outside the El Tío Toño Meat Market store in East Los Angeles.
“The person who called 911 clearly said that the person had a plastic gun, but we already know that when sheriffs hear that someone has a knife or gun, they only go so far as to kill and then ask questions,” explained Montes. Reina’s death occurred at 9:20 pm, between Eastman and Gage avenues, and Pomeroy Street, on March 17.
Immigration reform
In the city of Santa Ana, a contingent marched from the offices of the Mexican consulate general to the offices of the Ronald Reagan federal building, located on Fourth Street with a single message about immigration.
“Our message is that at this time of very serious immigration crisis, the candidates and the candidates’ campaigns are in a competition to see who articulates the harshest anti-immigrant policies for the November elections of this year,” said Juan José Gutiérrez. , director of the Full Rights Coalition for Immigrants.
Gutiérrez and other community leaders took to the streets to “raise the flag high of immigration reform with a path to citizenship.”
“We are aware that many people will say that we are crazy, because in such difficult circumstances immigration reform seems further away than ever,” he added. “We understand that it is precisely in deep crises, if we are prepared to take advantage of the moment, and when the outlook is most difficult, we can achieve immigration reform.”
History
In 1889, May Day was designated as a day of support for workers who advocated an eight-hour workday.
Three days later the so-called “Haymarket Affair” or the “Haymarket Massacre” occurred when a bomb was detonated near Haymarket Square in Chicago, after police arrived to break up a demonstration in support of striking workers.
Seven police officers were killed and another 60 injured before the violence ended. Civilian casualties were estimated between four and eight dead and 30 to 40 wounded.
This case caused widespread hysteria directed against immigrants and union leaders.
Seven police officers were killed and 60 others injured before the violence ended; Civilian casualties have been estimated between four and eight dead and between 30 and 40 wounded. The Haymarket case created widespread hysteria directed against immigrants and union leaders.
Violence in LA
In Los Angeles, on May 1, 2007, acts of violence and police brutality occurred against May Day protesters in what became known worldwide as the “May Day Melee,” when commanders of the Los Angeles Police Department Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) sent more than 200 officers in riot gear to break up the peaceful gathering of protesters and demonstration at MacArthur Park.
Police used batons and fired rubber bullets into the fleeing crowd, wounding many, including women, children and journalists.
The Multi-Ethnic Immigrant Workers Organization Network (MIWON) became the plaintiff organization in a lawsuit filed by the National Lawyers Guild on behalf of hundreds of community residents who suffered many injuries, including a pregnant woman who suffered a miscarriage after being hit with batons. The lawsuit resulted in a landmark $13 million settlement and the creation of new policies for the LAPD on First Amendment activities.
“The fight for workers’ rights has not always been easy,” said Jorge Mario Cabrera, spokesperson for CHILA. “We have confronted violence, oppression and indifference, and nothing has been gained overnight; In addition, the continuous presence in the streets and advocacy of all leaders has been required so that the rights of workers and immigrants are respected.”
Cabrera stated that, due to incidents such as the Melee of May 1, 2007, “a lot was learned and it has not been repeated again.”