Los Angeles Indymedia : Activist News

LOS ANGELES, June 24, 2007 – A crowd of mostly immigrants marched through the heart of “tourist” Hollywood on Sunday to urge Congress to pass legislation that would expeditiously grant immigrants legal residency. Over and over marchers and speakers emphasized that undocumented immigrants have been working hard and mightily contributing to the U.S. economy for years and years, and only wished to be treated fairly, to be able to come out of the shadows and enjoy the basic human rights most of us take for granted. They say it is not acceptable, humane, or practical to wait another 10 years, as is proposed in the current legislation supported by Bush and most Democrats.
From the newswire: March and Fiesta in Hollywood by Cliff Olin | | June 24 March-Rally For Immigrants Rights in LA - A Success by Coalition In Defense of Immigrant Rights
More than 15,000 Immigrants March-Rallied June 24 & TAGUMPAY ANG MARTSA-RALI PARA SA MGA MIGRANTE SA LA! by AJLPP-USA

More than three hundred Crenshaw District residents joined two hundred migrant rights' supporters and linked arms to keep the minutemen out of Leimert Park, the heart of Black Los Angeles.

Anti-minutemen protestors, called by the Mayday Defense Committee and Unión del Barrio, linked arms across the 43rd Place entrance to Leimert Park three lines deep to defend the park against the minutemen. Across the street, Choose Black America, a front group for the anti-immigrant march sponsors, Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), and Save Our State, a minuteman spin-off, fretted and stewed.

The LAPD, obviously sensing the determination of the people and reeling from the public outcry against their violence in MacArthur Park last month, kept the groups apart, eventually moving cruisers in front of the entrance to prevent a minuteman incursion, and rescinded the minuteman permit to enter the park. From the Newswre Black Americans Choose: Minutemen Go Home by Leslie Radford | | Hayes/Minuteman Rally Is A Flop by John Q. Public

SANTA BARBARA June 28, 2007 - In a jarring reminder that the human rights of immigrants—the rights to work, move about, and live a life free from fear—are under constant threat of violation, agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement raided three restaurants in downtown Santa Barbara this Thursday morning. At least thirty people have been detained, according to community activists. Full report: ICE raid detains 30 in Santa Barbara by Rockero

And in Santa Ana raids continue as the community rallies for a demonstration this Saturday to protest recent raids in Orange County. “They are taking parents walking kids home from school, women walking home from grocery store, workers at bus stops” Full report: ICE Takes no rest in Santa Ana--Only Prisoners by dl

UPDATE: ICE: The New Gestapo Terrorizing our Brown Communities? by D

LOS ANGELES, August 19, 2007 - Elvira Arellano, who, with her son Saul, has become a national symbol of the destruction of families by federal policy, was taken into immigration custody today in Los Angeles. There are calls for a nationwide protest and vigil in downtown LA and phone calls to ICE. Reports from the Newswire: 7/19 Emergency Alert! Immig Activist Elvira Arellano Arrested in Los Angeles! by Leslie | | 8/19 Emergency Alert! Immig Activist Elvira Arellano Arrested in Los Angeles! by Lee Siu Hin - Immigrant Solidarity Network | | Elvira Arellano Arrested! by Daniel Maldonado | | Emergency vigil for Elvira Arellano

UPDATE: San Diego Indymedia is reporting that Elvira has been deported, that she is free and now in Tijuana. Supporters are vowing to work to reunite her with family and son in the US. Also from the newswire: 8/20: Latest - Elvira Arellano Deported... by Lee Siu Hin

Groups and individuals from the community had an opportunity to confront Police Chief Bratton and the Police Commission at Parker Center today regarding May Day attacks by the LAPD on thousands of peaceful demonstrators in MacArthur Park. Some of the groups represented included a recently formed group of community activists called The People’s Network in Defense of Human Rights, CopWatch, The Bus Rider’s Union, Chirla, Caracen, Miwon, Los Angeles Federation of Labor, the ACLU, the L.A. Community Action Network, the International Action Network, and others.

People were very united in their opinions and demands today even though there had been some initial discord among some of the groups. Seen as a huge problem by many is a statement made by some of the organizers that the youth and anarchists had been responsible for inciting the police at the event. Many feel that statements like this that demonize and hang the youth out to dry are extremely unfortunate; especially since many youth had been involved with the organizing and were some of the first to reach out to protect others, suffering hits by rubber bullets for their trouble. And even more important, pointing fingers at people from inside the movement takes the spotlight away from the real culprit, the LAPD. “We cannot be blamed for what the cops did”, said a member of CopWatch.

The LAPD are to blame, and they are the only ones to blame; was the overwhelming consensus at today’s hearing. According to the speakers, the police were aggressive from the start, and there were reports that they had been rehearsing maneuvers and drills hours before the marchers even arrived at the park.

Full report: COMMUNITY GROUPS CONFRONT LAPD AND CHIEF BRATTON ABOUT MAY DAY POLICE RIOT by Anna

Also from the newswire: Our Voices Will Not Be Silenced: May 17 March and vigil at MacArthur Park by schock | MIWON still covering for LAPD mayday attack by jubilee shine | Class action lawsuit filed against LAPD by national lawyers guild