L.A. pro-immigrant march draws thousands

[cascagraphic]

Source: LA Times

Police estimated that as many as ten thousand people, many wearing red to signify hope, marched peacefully through downtown Los Angeles this afternoon calling for the humane treatment of illegal immigrants.

The crowd gathered at 1:30 in front of City Hall following a march from Olympic and Broadway. Streets were blocked throughout downtown.

Organizers said the marchers were calling for a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants; an expedited and less expensive naturalization process; education for all; and a stop to "racist" immigrant raids throughout the United States.

"Today's rally is really a response to all those who have been criticizing the immigrant rights movement and declared it dead," said Juan Jose Gutierrez, a coordinator with Latino Movement USA. "Most people are hard-working, taxpaying individuals," he said. "We need to stop polarizing."


Read more: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-webmarch7apr08,0,4758876.story?coll=la-home-local

[puerco-bellies]

1. Me and Alison went downtown to shop for fabric in the fashion district today

We were walking from the Metro-Rail station on 7th and Flower west on Broadway and noticed a lot of street vendors selling little American flags. I was wondering why and then realized that the flow of pedestrian traffic was going in the same direction as us, and that most of the people were wearing something red. By the time we got to 9th street and crossed Broadway I turned in to captain obvious and mentioned to Ali that there must be a rally today.. On the way home we recrossed Broadway heading to the jewelry district for supplies (and lunch) during the march and it was packed with marchers. It was like crossing a bright red river. There was probably well over 20,000 or more.

[High Plains]

2. Good for them. Anti-immigrant violence seems to be on the rise.