CDIR Update No. 15
June 24,2007
More than 15,000 Immigrants March-Rallied For Full Rights for All Immigrants June 24 in Los Angeles
Los Angeles – More than 15,000 immigrants and advocates militantly but peacefully marched last Sunday, June 24 in Hollywood to express their sentiments on the ongoing immigrant rights bill in the U.S Congress.
Despite the oppressive heat and under the watchful eyes of hundreds of fully armed police and county deputies, the more than an hour immigrant rights march occupied more than six blocks from Sunset Street to the rally site at Highland Street in Los Angeles.
Although the march-rally was smaller than the earlier marches and rallies that numbered in tens of thousands, that saw police repression and threats of deportations and raids , immigrants and their advocates marched in militant, peaceful and festive mood
Led by popular artist Don Cheto and his group, Senator Gil Cedillo, Juan Jose Gutierez of Latino Movement-USA and Angelina Corona and Jose Murillo of Hermanidad Mexicana Nacional led the march that started around 12; 30 PM from the intersection of Ivar and Hollywood.
The marchers led by drummers and trumpeters with the sound truck made a right turn at the CNN Headquarters in L.A.
Rally In front of the Chinese Mann Theater
The rally started at 1; 45 PM. Senator Gil Cedillo, Raul Murillo of Hermanidad, Don Cheto, Preston Woods of International ANSWER-LA, Jim Lafferty of the National Lawyers League and Arturo Garcia of AJLPP and People’s CORE spoke and gave their support for full rights for all immigrants.
The Don Cheto’s Group, The Emperio Sinoloa Orchestra and other Hip-Hop Groups regaled the crowd with Mexican and Latino songs and music. Juan Jose Gutierez, Carlos Alvarez and Marilou Cabral of ANSWER-LA acted as emcees. The crowd enjoyed the music that was interspersed with the speakers.
NLG's Jim Lafferty summed -up the stand of the immigrant community: “ the capitalists Congress does not want an immigration bill. Want they want is a racist anti-immigrant bill. They want just profits from fees, from exploitative labor from immigrants. We say, no more of anti-immigrant laws. ”
The April 7 Coalition that led the more than 50,000 mobilization in Los Angeles includes the Latino Movement USA, Hermanidad Mexican National, the ANSWER Coalition and the Coalition in Defense of immigrant Rights and People’s CORE led this march rally.
For more information about the immigrant rights campaign and immigration issues please contact Al P. Garcia at (213) 241-0906 or email at?
ajlpp_socal@yahoo.com ********