Vol. 71/No. 22      June 4, 2007

Araceli, who asked to be identified only with her first name, told the Militant she came to demand justice. “Not just for me, but for everyone who was hurt on May Day.” She described how she was trampled while trying to find her son who had become separated from her in the crowd. “The cops began pushing people and everyone was running. That’s when I fell.” Two months pregnant, she went to the hospital later that night where she miscarried.

Oscar, who asked that his last name not be used, marched holding a sign that read: “We came for a immigration reform. We did not come to fight or to be insulted by the authority!” Like many at the protest, he did not support the immigration bill now before the U.S. Senate. “It has so many conditions—learning English, thousands of dollars in fines—that it won’t help most people,” he said. “You can’t even live on minimum wage. How can you pay $5,000?”

“I came to protest because it’s important to get immigration reform,” said Salvador Franco, an eyewitness to the police violence. “I also want to protest the war in Iraq, which is a war against humanity.”

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and State Assembly Speaker Fabían Núñez, sought to mute the public outrage at the brutalization of protesters on May 1 by participating in today’s march.

Police Chief William Bratton and dozens of cops on bicycles were waiting for the demonstrators to arrive at the park. Hundreds of cops on foot, bicycle, and motorcycle patrolled the 10-block route of the march. A flier distributed by the cops at the rally stated: “The goal is to provide you with an atmosphere that is safe and in harmony with your right to free speech. We appreciate your cooperation in assisting our ability to ensure that you have a positive experience.”

Some workers thought otherwise.

The weekend before the demonstration, this correspondent spoke to a worker at MacArthur Park who had suffered a knee injury in the May Day assault. Asked if he planned to join the May 17 protest, he said, “Why? So the cops can beat me some more?”

“We are getting a real lesson in the role of the police,” said Gerardo, a member of the Committee of Workers in Resistance who asked that his last name not be used. “They are part of the state, and their job is to control the working class. On March 6, ICE broke into the Michael Bianco factory in New Bedford, Massachusetts, and seized the workers [see front page article]. On May 1, the L.A. cops broke up our demonstration. This is exactly what the dominant class wants them to do.”

Arlene Rubinstein contributed to this article.
 
 
Related articles:
U.S. rulers wrangle over new immigration ‘reform’ bill
Massachusetts workers sue boss for robbing them of overtime pay
Plant raided by ‘la migra’
‘ICE get out!’ protesters in Minneapolis tell ‘la migra’
Protests meet anti-immigrant measures in Georgia  
 
 
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