Tens of Thousands Rallied for Immigrant Rights in Chicago.

Los Angeles –More than 40,0000 immigrants and their advocates marched in Chicago despite the heat wave that struck the United States. The massive march to stop deportations, sanctions, raids and against family separations was held from Union Park at mid morning, 9:00 AM and ended with a rally at 1:00 PM at the Grant Park, Chicago, Illinois.

Although many estimates that this rally will be smaller than the rallies in early spring that mobilized hundreds of thousands of immigrants and their supporters in the mid west, the mobilization broke the long hiatus in the mass mobilizations.

Meanwhile in Los Angeles, ANSWER Los Angeles held a rally today, July 19 in front of the Israeli consulate in San Vicente/Wilshire Sts.to condemn the US supported Israeli invasion and campaign of destruction against the Lebanese and the Palestinian people. The rally that drew a large crown went on peacefully despite a counter demo by a pro-Israeli group. The AJLLP was present and a speaker in the rally.

Another mobilization called the People’s Speak out against Racism and Police Brutality rally for Justice! Fight for Immigrant Rights will be held on Saturday, July 22, from 2-4 PM. The marchers will gather at corner of Hollywood and Argyle the Metro Red Line stop in Hollywood & Vine Streets. The Coalition in Defense of Immigrant Rights (CDIR) is supporting the mass action.

ANSWER –Los Angeles called on all anti-racist, progressive people are encouraged to participate in a People's Speak Out against racism and police brutality. The speak out will be at the corner of Hollywood Blvd. and Argyle Ave. to show the LAPD that protesters and the community will not be intimidated by police terror.

Last Saturday July 8, the LAPD viciously attacked a peaceful, multinational crowd of hundreds who had gathered to demonstrate against the racist, anti-immigrant "Minuteman Project" and their supporters. Without any provocation, the police beat dozens and falsely arrested six people, all of them anti-Minutemen protesters. Just before the police riot, top LAPD brass on the scene was chumming around with the fascist Minutemen on the other side of the street.

This attack on peaceful demonstrators was a coordinated assault on the immigrant rights and progressive movement by the cops and the fascists. It's the same kind of terror and repression faced by working class communities in Los Angeles every day, especially those populated by immigrants and other people of color.

At the People's Speak Out, we'll hear from victims of police brutality, witnesses to the police beatings in Hollywood on July 8, families of victims of police violence, progressive organizers and leaders, and others. There will also be outreach to passersby, militant chanting and an open mic.

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