Los Angeles gets tough with political protesters

For acts of political protest that his predecessor treated as mere infractions, Los Angeles City Atty. Carmen Trutanich is seeking jail time.

Los Angeles City Atty. Carmen Trutanich is throwing the book at dozens of people arrested during recent political demonstrations — a major shift in city policy that has him pressing for jail time in types of cases that previous prosecutors had treated as infractions.

Some of the activists arrested, including eight college students and one military veteran who took part in a Westwood rally last year in support of the DREAM Act, face up to one year in county jail.

Trutanich's aggressive stance is the latest episode in the city's decades-long legal struggle over the rights of protesters. The Los Angeles Police Department's treatment of demonstrators at the 2000 Democratic National Convention and at a 2007 May Day rally at MacArthur Park led to lawsuits against the city.

Trutanich said in an interview that recent demonstrations, conducted without permits, had cost the city thousands of dollars for police response and disrupted traffic. Organizers of illegal protests should face consequences, he said.

"My whole deal is predictability," he said. "In order for us to have a civilized society, there has to be a predictable result when you break the law. I want to make sure that they don't do it again."

The new policy, he added, was designed with an eye on what he called "professional" protesters who demonstrate repeatedly — sometimes for pay, he said — and never seem to be punished for their illegal activities.

"There's a right way and a wrong way" to protest, Trutanich said. "When you break the law, it's a not a mainstream 1st Amendment activity. You have the right to protest; you don't have the right to break the law."

Critics, including civil liberties advocates and at least one City Council member, accuse him of overkill and say his policies could imperil legitimate free speech.

"We should be incarcerating those who are truly public threats as opposed to students who are raising their voices out of passion for a cause," said City Councilman Ed Reyes, who has met with Trutanich on behalf of the DREAM Act supporters.

Reyes said the city should give people arrested in certain forms of protest a chance to work out deals with prosecutors to avoid jail time and criminal records.

Until recently, that was city policy — first-time offenders arrested in protests were typically granted what is known as a city attorney hearing, an informal alternative to a court date where defendants could negotiate deals.

In 2009, under Trutanich's predecessor, Rocky Delgadillo, all but one of 12 students arrested at a protest over fee hikes at UCLA were offered plea deals that reduced their charges to an infraction with a $100 fine.

"Our policy was that this is an exercise of 1st Amendment rights, and if this was your first time, you would get a hearing," said Delgadillo, who said his policy was based on the belief that a protester demonstrating for a political cause is different from a typical criminal.

John Raphling, an attorney who is representing a protester charged with three misdemeanors after a May 21 demonstration at City Hall over rent hikes, said Trutanich's approach is aimed at quashing dissent. "It's saying, 'You better not step out of line, you better not speak out,'" he said. "Why is he taking an approach that's a hundred times more harsh than anyone before?"

Others accuse Trutanich of acting from political motives, noting that he has flirted with a run for L.A. County district attorney — a motivation Trutanich denies.

The effect of his new approach can be seen in the prosecutions of those who took part in at least four demonstrations last year — including 10 people arrested at an August rally for laid-off janitors in Century City and 24 arrested at three protests against Arizona's controversial immigration bill, as well as the DREAM Act supporters.

At the May 20 rally for the passage of the DREAM Act, a bill that would have granted amnesty to illegal immigrants enrolled in college or serving in the military, nine people walked into the street in front of the Federal Building in Westwood, locked their hands together and sat down. They included recent graduates and current college students, one an honors student in her last year at UCLA, and a Navy veteran, Jonathan Bribiesca Ramirez.

The protest snarled rush-hour traffic on Wilshire Boulevard for hours. When police ordered the protesters to disperse, they refused. They were arrested and charged with unlawful assembly and blocking the sidewalk or street — misdemeanors that carry a maximum sentence of up to one year in jail.

As he has in the other protest cases, Trutanich has denied city attorney hearings to the DREAM Act protesters. Their trials are set to begin in March.

In at least one other case, however, the city attorney's office has offered to dismiss charges against some members of a group of protesters, according to their attorney, Cynthia Anderson-Barker. That case involved five students at Cal State Northridge who marched against budget cuts as part of an apparently spontaneous protest. The university's provost, Harold Hellenbrand, wrote a letter to Trutanich asking that the charges be dismissed.

Felipe Plascencia, who along with several other attorneys from the Mexican American Bar Assn. is representing the students in the DREAM Act demonstration for free, said he was shocked to learn that Trutanich was pressing ahead with those cases, as well as Trutanich's suggestion that the protesters were "professionals."

"I have not seen any evidence of that whatsoever," Plascencia said. "These were college students trying to prove a point. It's an injustice for [the city attorney's office] to have dragged on for this long."

Protest, he said, is an American value and has long played a prominent role in L.A. city affairs. In 2006, some 500,000 people marched downtown to protest a proposed federal crackdown on illegal immigration. "The whole foundation of this country was rebelling against an unjust system," he said.

Plascencia also heads the Mexican American Bar Assn. PAC, which supported Trutanich with endorsements and fundraising in his campaign for office. He has lobbied Trutanich to reduce or drop the charges against the DREAM Act protesters and says he hopes they will eventually be dismissed.

For now, however, the various protesters facing charges say their lives have been on hold. Garrick Ruiz, 34, is one of them. In May, he and 13 others locked their hands together outside the Metropolitan Detention Center in protest of Arizona's SB 1070, a measure that requires police to investigate the immigration status of anyone they stop and subsequently suspect may be in the country illegally.

"We knew we were doing something against the law and that we would have to go through the court system," Ruiz said. "That (Trutanich) has taken this path and sought this level of prosecution has been a shock."

This is not the first time Ruiz has been arrested for protesting. He was jailed for demonstrating at the Democratic National Convention in 2000 — and later saw his charges reduced to an infraction.

Last month, Ruiz and the group that staged the Arizona-law protest held a noisy demonstration outside Trutanich's City Hall office. They said his efforts will not deter them.

"If he thinks this is going to stop protest, then he doesn't understand why we did what we did," Ruiz said. "I had to do something, regardless of the personal cost."

kate.linthicum@latimes.com

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-protester-prosecution-20110211,0,6707905,full.story

12 arrested in protest outside Phoenix jail

Twelve protesters were arrested Friday afternoon after allegedly blocking access to the Lower Buckeye Jail near 35th Avenue and Lower Buckeye Road in Phoenix, authorities said.

The protesters, who have been vocal in their opposition to Arizona's immigration law, were reportedly trying to stop a crime-suppression sweep run by Sheriff Joe Arpaio's office, the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office said.

The road was cleared as of 4:45 p.m., officials said.

Salvador Reza, the leader of a group called Puente, was among those arrested, according to Puente spokeswoman Opal Tometi.

On Thursday, at least 50 protesters were arrested after allegedly blocking a public thoroughfare at Fourth Avenue Jail in Phoenix. Reza was arrested at Thursday's protest as well.

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2010/07/30/20100730phoenix-arpaio-sweep-protesters-arrested-abrk.html

Arizona immigration law protesters arrested after blocking street

Hundreds of activists marched on downtown Phoenix in protest of Senate Bill 1070 Thursday, participating in mass acts of civil disobedience, prayer vigils and other rallies.

Dozens were arrested at various locations, including members of the media who were covering the event.

The protests were peaceful, but disruptive. Opponents of the tough new immigration law blocked Washington Street near Phoenix City Hall for nearly an hour Thursday morning, snarling traffic and light-rail service.

At least two dozen were arrested at that location, after linking arms and lying down in the street, said Sgt. Tommy Thompson, a spokesman for the Phoenix Police Department.

They were charged with obstructing a public thoroughfare, which is a misdemeanor, Thompson said.

By noon, the bulk of the activity was centered on the 4th Avenue Jail, a primary booking location for felony arrests in Maricopa County.

Several hundred people had converged on that location, and six people were arrested after chaining themselves to the building; about 10 others were taken into custody by deputies dressed in riot gear after they blocked the jail's driveway and refused to move.

In total, about 30 people were arrested for blocking a public thoroughfare, including some members of the press. Law enforcement officials said the members of the media were given the same warning as the activists before being taken into custody.

Protesters at the jail blocked the entrance at 3rd Avenue and Madison, chanting, "No Justice, no peace, no racist police," and "Arrest Arpaio, not the people." At least one squad car from Goodyear turned a way and had to find a different entrance. "We're not trying to get arrested, we are trying to make a point," said Ruben Lucio, 21, of Phoenix. Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray, of the Unitarian Universalist Church in Phoenix, said she came to the jail because "I am standing for human rights. Not one more person, not one more mother, not one more grandfather will be taken from their family."

Even though a federal judge on Wednesday blocked key provisions of the state's tough new immigration law, rallies, protests, prayer vigils and acts of civil disobedience were held throughout the morning.

The provisions of the law that were not blocked took effect at 12:01 a.m.; Gov. Jan Brewer's legal team is expected to file an expedited appeal of the judge's order with the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals within the hour.

Thursday morning's protests started quietly with an early morning prayer vigil and march from the state Capitol to the Trinity Cathedral in downtown Phoenix. Only about 100 people attended that demonstration, but the protestors have steadily picked up steam since then.

About 400 people attended the service at the Trinity Cathedral, and then demonstrators marched toward the federal courthouse. Three people, including former state legislator and activist Alfredo Gutierrez were arrested there around 8:30 a.m.

The other individuals who were taken into custody identified themselves as Dan O'Neal and Doris Perez.

"The injunction did not go far enough," O'Neal moments before getting arrested. "This movement is about more than 1070."

After that, several activist groups converged on Sheriff Joe Arpaio's offices near the Wells Fargo building in downtown Phoenix. Arpaio, who planned one of his immigration sweeps Thursday, was one of the primary targets of demonstrators' ire.

The groups that joined up outside his offices eventually led to the multiple arrests on Washington Street.

From there, the activists moved on to the 4th Avenue Jail, where where the scene grew increasingly rowdy and intense before organizers started calming protestors down and moving them away. One protestor chained himself to what appeared to be an emergency exit, saying Wednesday's court ruling didn't go far enough. "It's a small victory," said Devin Fleenor, of Phoenix. "We need to have a lot more change, than just a temporary injunction on SB 1070."

At about 12:30 p.m., Sheriff Joe Arpaio re-deployed a dozen deputies armed in riot gear to the location.

The deputies were supposed to be part of a crime sweep operation planned for early afternoon. The sweep has now been postponed until at least 4 p.m.

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2010/07/29/20100729arizona-immigration-law-protest-0729.html

Costa Mesa action against the "Rule of Law"

June 15, 2010 — The City of Costa Mesa passed a resolution labeling itself a "Rule of Law City" against the undocumented immigrants! Costa Mesa has declared war on our community! The Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has provided the city an ICE agent in their local jail to deport anyone without the "proper documentation". How can we help the police if we don't trust them? Our families will be torn apart and we cannot let that happen! The city has no jurisdiction on laws related to immigration, but yet the City Council has made of its city a smaller version of Arizona with the same harmful consequences on the people of Costa Mesa! *** This protest was organized by the people of Costa Mesa

Protesters chain themselves at Santa Ana federal building to protest Arizona law

LA Times

Eight people who chained themselves together outside the federal building in Santa Ana were arrested during a noisy noontime protest Thursday.

The protesters, most of whom dispersed after police shut down Santa Ana Boulevard, had gathered to protest Arizona’s recent immigration legislation and to call on Santa Ana to declare itself a sanctuary city.

Eight of the protesters had chained themselves together with lock boxes and stood at the driveway of the federal detention center.

“We want an end to racist anti-migrant laws,” said Anna Vilchis, 22, a recent UC Berkeley graduate who lives in Santa Ana. “Undocumented people are human beings, we’re not criminals.”

Police successfully dispersed dozens of protesters who were standing in the area and at noon had given a final warning to the chained protesters to disperse before beginning arrests, said police spokesman Anthony Bertagna.

Bertagna said those arrested were taken to the city jail and will be cited and released. He said the protesters did not advise police about the protest, making it difficult for them to prepare. "This type of event drains our resources," he said.

The protesters said they were part of a loosely affiliated group calling itself “We are Arizona.”

-- Paloma Esquivel from Santa Ana

More Arrested In Immigration Law Protest

NY1 News

Nearly 40 people were arrested today during an act of civil disobedience in Lower Manhattan meant to rally against Arizona's immigration law.

City Councilwoman Melissa Mark-Viverito and union leaders from 32BJ were among the 37 people arrested during a rally that took place outside 26 Federal Plaza in Lower Manhattan. Local clergy, labor leaders, elected officials and community leaders linked arms to form a chain that temporarily blocked traffic.

This is the second time officials and other protestors were arrested while demonstrating against Arizona's law, which requires police to question people about immigration status if there's reason to suspect they're in the country illegally.

Organizers say there more rallies are planned.

"The next three weeks we're doing civil disobedience because we want to send a clear message to Congress that we are demanding comprehensive immigration reform,” said Bishop Orlando Findlayter, chair of the group Churches United to Save and Heal.

"I think Federal Plaza better get ready for every Monday that there will be thousands of people coming down here to be arrested here and on Broadway," Henry Singleton of Local 1199 said.

"We got to change the laws to help the people,” said New York Immigration Coalition’s Chung-Wha Hong. “It's bad laws hurting good people, so instead of blaming the people, let's fix our law."

Organizers are urging the Obama administration to pass federal immigration reform to overturn Arizona's controversial law. Opponents of the law see it as racial profiling.

Activists Lockdown & Occupy US Border Patrol Headquarters Demanding End to Border Militarization, Protesters Cited and Released

High resolution pictures and B-roll available at: www.oodhamsolidarity.blogs

pot.com

Tucson, AZ – At approximately 1:00PM Friday, May 21, 2010 more than a dozen people occupied the Tucson Headquarters of the US Border Patrol to draw attention to impacts of border militarization in Indigenous Communities. Six people, including Alex Soto a member of the Tohono O'odham Nation and a volunteer with the group O’odham Solidarity Across Borders, locked themselves together for up to 3 and 1/2 hours. “Indigenous voices have been ignored. In our action today we say NO MORE!” Said Soto.

Banners were hung, including one placed over the reception window that read, “Stop Militarization of Indigenous Lands Now”, traditional songs were sung and the group chanted, “Border militarization destroys Indigenous communities!” and “No raids, no deportations! No SB1070, no racist laws!” Approximately 30 Border Patrol agents flooded the lobby of the headquarters and scrambled to react. Roads to the headquarters and adjacent air force base were shut down. Tucson City Police were eventually called and began preparing an extraction of the peaceful resisters.

A diverse crowd of up to 70 people quickly gathered outside the Border Patrol headquarters to support those locked down inside. Ofelia Rivas of O’odham Voices Against The Wall, an elder in support of the action stated, “It was a historical and powerful moment for people of all color to unite with O’odham to stand in solidarity for human rights and to see the next generation take a stand”.

At approximately 4 o’clock the peaceful resisters negotiated the conditions of their release on their terms. Their requests to consult with Tohono O’odham elders to negotiate terms of release were denied by Tucson Police. The protesters decided to unlock and were cited for two misdemeanors each of trespassing and disorderly conduct. The resisters were released just outside the premises to join supporters where they gathered in traditional prayer and rallied against border militarization for another hour. Community members including members of the Pasqual Yaqui, Tohono O'odham, and Dine' Nations reacted emotionally when two Wackenhut Corp. buses left the Border Patrol compound filled with undocumented people. The detainees responded with returning the symbol of resistance - a raised fist.

“This is just one action of many that makes visible the invisible crimes against humanity that occur every day on the colonial border,” stated one of the peaceful resisters. “We commit to honoring the prayers and call for support of the people most impacted by border militarization, the Indigenous Peoples who’s lands we are on and migrants who seek a better life for their families. We cannot not allow government agencies, border patrol, ICE or reformist agendas to further their suffering. We will continue our actions of peaceful resistance for human dignity and respect for all peoples.”

The action also denounced SB1070 and HB2281 as racist laws that are a part of an ongoing system of genocidal policies against Indigenous Peoples and migrant communities.

For previous Press Statement, please see attachment.
Note to editors, high resolution photos attached; Photo credits: O'odham Solidarity Across Borders Collective

Media Contacts:
Alex Soto (602) 881-6027
Leilani Clark (520) 982-5687
stopboardermilitarization@gmail.com

Video: Occupation & Lockdown of Tucson Border Patrol HQ

OCCUPATION OF BORDER PATROL HEADQUATERS
DAVIS-MONTHAN AIRFORCE BASE, TUCSON, AZ

From O'odham Solidarity Across Borders Collective

DREAM Act Protest Shuts down Wilshire Blvd., 9 Plan to be Arrested [Updated]

laist.com

Wilshire Boulevard has reportedly been shut down by a DREAM act protest led by students. In an alert by LAPD's West L.A. division, "Wilshire Blvd off the 405 Fwy at Veteran ave is severely congested. use alternate route to get into Westwood." The DREAM act is a piece of federal legislation dealing with undocumented alien students. More details coming.

Update: Nine protestors sitting in the middle of Wilshire Boulevard, surrounded by 50 or so supporters, plan on being arrested this afternoon, according to an organizer, who only identified herself as Melanie, over the phone. The street is blocked in both directions in the Westwood area, severely affecting traffic around the 405 Freeway, according to police.

Melanie said they want to bring attention to the DREAM Act, which would enable children under the age of 16 brought by their parents to the U.S. illegally to gain citizenship by completing two years of high school, college or military service.

The group is made up of students, UCLA professors and five people who protested at John McCain's Tucson office earlier this week. Today's action is part of a national campaign.

Battleground Arizona: Students Take the Streets for Immigrant Rights and Against Racism

Undocumented students arrested in McCain’s office, held for deportation

By James Jordan |
May 18, 2010

Tucson, AZ - Arizona has seen an explosion of Chicano and Mexicano led student resistance to racist laws and in defense of the right to a quality education. Nowhere is this more evident than in the city of Tucson, which is singled out for attack by racist elements of state government. The struggle has attracted attention across the nation. Since the state House and Senate adopted the anti-immigrant and anti-Latino law, SB1070, thousands of students have walked out of school in protest and there has been a wave of youth-led direct actions.

On May 12, students surrounded the Tucson Unified School District to stop TUSD’s ethnic studies program from being shut down. On May 17, the anniversary of Brown vs. Board of Education, students from across the country came to occupy the Tucson office of U.S. Senator John McCain to demand passage of the Dream Act, legislation that would give some undocumented students the opportunity to legally pursue higher education. Four of the students were arrested by Tucson police, three of whom were undocumented. After being released from jail, Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents took the three undocumented students into custody where they are now awaiting deportation.

A human chain of hundreds gathered at a May 12 protest to defend local education from the racist attacks of State Superintendant of Education Tom Horne. Chanting, “Our education is under attack! What do we do? Fight back!” the crowd could be heard blocks away. Those present were mostly Latino, mostly middle and high school students, but with significant multi-ethnic and multi-age support. Students walked out of school, organizing the demonstration in just a couple of hours when they learned that Horne was coming to Tucson. According to some students, he had come “to personally shut down ethnic studies classes.” However, that was one plan Horne had to cancel.

About 400 students walked out in protest. HB2281, which Horne personally authored, is a direct attack on TUSD’s ethnic studies program, which was won through popular struggle over ten years ago. Horne’s law bans ethnic studies and punishes districts in violation of the law by withholding 10% of their budget. TUSD Board member Adelita Grijalva told an April rally, “We have people up there in Phoenix focused on one district…Instead, they should focus on funding the state’s schools!”

TUSD officials had requested Horne’s presence for a private meeting to discuss the new legislation, which goes into effect on Dec. 31. Horne, who is in a primary race for the state’s Attorney General Office, decided to make a statement to the press before leaving for Tucson. In response, TUSD canceled the meeting.

Tucson businessman Raul Aguirre, talking with Fight Back!, compared this legislation with earlier measures such as the English-only bill and bills attacking bilingual education. Addressing the students, Aguirre said, “In a time of a global economy, when people everywhere are talking about getting a global perspective, this is myopic!”

Later that day, around 200 students and allies marched to the state building, where Horne had gone to make yet another public statement. Around 40 people entered and occupied the building, with 15 people arrested before the day was done. Media representatives were physically forced to leave before the arrests were completed, according to videographer Jason Aragones.

HB2281 outlaws programs that are aimed at students of particular ethnicities or that advocate “ethnic solidarity instead of the treatment of pupils as individuals.” However, TUSD ethnic studies classes have always been open to and attended by students of any ethnicity. Likewise, students attend and participate in classes ‘individually’ and they are graded ‘individually.’ Revealing the subjective and arbitrary nature of the legislation, its enforcement is left to the State Superintendant’s discretion.

During an interview with CNN later that evening, Horne’s defense of the bill seemed almost paranoid as he denounced the wearing of sunglasses and berets as “revolutionary.” Horne told CNN “…we should be teaching the kids that this is a land of opportunity, and not teach them the downer that they’re oppressed and…they should be angry against their government...I brought in a picture that you might want to show that shows the revolutionary garb that they wore when they protested against my law with masks, sunglasses, berets, brown shirts.”

HB2281 is the first passed of several pending bills that would encode racist measures in Arizona schools. Also under consideration are bills requiring students to prove their citizenship status and for schools to report those without proper documents to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

The protests and arrests that took place surrounding Horne’s visit are the latest examples of a growing militancy in the Arizona fight back. Mobilizations exploded with the passage in the state house of SB1070, a law that institutionalizes racial profiling. SB1070 gives state law enforcement authority to detain and investigate anyone they suspect of being an undocumented immigrant. In Arizona, that means anyone with brown skin, speaking Spanish. Two days after that vote, the White House carried out a militaristic raid of Latino communities in Arizona by more than 800 ICE agents, with the cooperation of local and state law enforcement. Many local activists saw this as an unspoken endorsement of Arizona’s new policies.

Since then, anti-racist Arizonans have been arrested several times in direct actions, thousands of students have participated in walk-outs and there have been almost daily demonstrations - many days with more than one. On May 7, students, teachers and community members conducted a 24-hour vigil in support of ethnic studies at Tucson High School. Meanwhile, reports came in from the border cities of Nogales and San Luis that on the Mexican side, motorists had shut down the ports of entry in protest. Eyewitnesses say that on the U.S. side, people were getting out of their cars, raising their fists and voices in a show of solidarity.

The four college students arrested on May 17 after the daylong occupation of Senator McCain’s Tucson offices - Lizbeth Mateo, Yahaira Carrillos, Mohammad Abdollahi and Raúl Alcaraz - had ties to Illinois, California, Kansas, Michigan and of course, Arizona. The undocumented protesters, Mateo, Carrillos and Abdollahi are now in custody of ICE. As the students were being taken to jail in a police van, the crowd chanted, “Undocumented! Unafraid!”

Chicano activist César Wolf did a call and response with the crowd:

“Are we going to unite brown people into this movement?”

“Yes!”

“Are we going to unite Mexicans into this movement?”

“Yes!”

“Are we going to unite white people…Asians…our abuelitos…our youth into this movement?”

“Yes!”

Speaking for those arrested, Tanya Unzueta, who has been in the U.S. since the age of ten, said “I am undocumented, living in Chicago. There are four students inside, three of them undocumented. They send a message of love.These students have risked their lives, their education, their freedom. Now it is up to us to make sure they are not forgotten...If they were able to do this, then - what are you going to do?”

As the movement in Arizona grows, supporters across the country are being asked to come to Phoenix on May 29 as part of a national protest against the state’s anti-immigrant laws and to demand an end to federal policies that militarize the border and criminalize undocumented workers. Meanwhile, the summer of 2010 has been declared “Freedom Summer” by several organizations. To learn more about May 29, go to http://altoarizona.com/. Those interested in coming to Southern Arizona to join in solidarity activities this summer can learn more by writing james@afgj.org.

People are also being asked to support the struggle in Arizona by: 1) demanding that the federal government not cooperate with SB1070 and to take quick action to keep it from being implemented, and 2) boycotting Arizona until SB1070 and other anti-immigrant and anti-Latino laws are repealed.

The boycott includes conventions and conferences in Arizona, visits to the state (not including visits to close friends and family or to take part in solidarity actions) and a refusal to patronize the Arizona Diamondbacks, whose owners provide major funding to the Arizona Republican Party and supporters of sb1070.

Sadly, in the midst of these growing mobilizations, another increase is taking place. The number has grown by 60% over last year for undocumented workers dying as they try to cross desert borderlands. Already, the remains of 110 persons have been found. Since the implementation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in 1994, over 5000 displaced and undocumented workers have died crossing the US-Mexico desert. They are displaced because of NAFTA provisions that have destroyed rural economies. The situation is worsened by the border’s militarization, forcing workers to cross the most inhospitable and harshest of terrains. (For more information: http://derechoshumanosaz.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2... .)

If the middle and high school students leading these anti-racist struggles have anything to say about it, these fallen workers will not have died in vain. These students and their allies are organized, fired up and ready for a protracted struggle. Speaking bluntly about “the house that racism has built” one young Chicano activist declared: “We are coming to burn your house down!”

Police Arrest 16 During Immigration Protest

05/17/2010 07:06 PM
By: Rebecca Spitz
NY1

More than a dozen people were taken into police custody Monday during a protest that brought traffic to a halt in Lower Manhattan.

Among the 16 arrested in front of 26 Federal Plaza were clergy members, local leaders and City Council members.

The act of civil disobedience aimed to put pressure on President Barack Obama and Congress to enact comprehensive immigration reform this year. It was also meant to stop the Arizona law that criminalizes illegal immigrants and to propose a moratorium on deportation.

Participants linked arms and walked onto Broadway and Thomas Street, temporarily interfering with the flow of afternoon traffic.

When they refused to move, despite the fact that police warned them they would be charged with disorderly conduct, all 16 were handcuffed and taken into custody to be processed.

City Councilman Jumani Williams and City Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez were among those arrested.

"We believe this struggle is a struggle of everyone," Rodriguez said. "We are here to participate in the civil disobedience. This is only the beginning. From this day on, every Monday there's going to be another elected official and religious leaders participating in civil disobedience."

"We have religious leaders and elected officials who are willing to lose their freedom for a few hours and it could potentially be for a few days to demand that Obama prevent the implementation of the law in Arizona," said Angela Fernandez, immigrants rights advocate.

The arrests followed a rally that was held by local clergy with the same message.

Monday's demonstration was the first of three planned acts of civil disobedience.

The group is planning to come back next Monday and says even more people will be arrested.

Groups Plan Civil Disobedience to Protest Arizona Migrant Law

Latin American Herald Tribune

WASHINGTON – Pro-immigrant groups announced Tuesday a wave of non-violent acts of civil disobedience in several U.S. cities as the next step in their strategy to push for immigration reform and halt the entry into force of the new Arizona law that criminalizes undocumented immigrants.

In addition to repeating their call for a boycott against the southwestern state, the coalition plans sit-ins at federal buildings and actions against firms that invest in Arizona.

The initiative will be conducted in New York, Chicago, Washington, Seattle, Miami and Los Angeles, but activists say that more cities will join the campaign in the coming days.

Among the scheduled activities is the blockading inside detention centers of buses that transport immigrants arrested for deportation and mobilizations in front of the offices of lawmakers who oppose immigration reform or support the Arizona law.

The campaign will culminate with a drumroll of demonstrations in Arizona on May 29, the date the activists have proclaimed as the National Day of Solidarity with Arizona.

In a telephone conference call, Deepak Bhargava, executive director of the Center for Community Change, justified the campaign as a way to “dramatize the urgent need” for a complete overhaul of the U.S. immigration system.

The actions against federal buildings will serve to demonstrate community anger against the government of Barack Obama and its inaction in the immigration debate.

“We hoped that (Obama) would provide the same leadership he gave to health care reform, but the only thing we see from Obama is that he’s deporting more than 4,000 people this year,” said Gustavo Torres, executive director of CASA de Maryland.

The activists also expressed their concern about the demonstrations called for May 29 by the Tea Party Movement with the support of former Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin.

In the face of that, Angelica Salas, executive director of the coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles, defended the pacifism of the pro-immigration reform movement and added that “others who promote hate” will not be able to interrupt their efforts.

Activists arrested in immigration protest at McCain's office

Rhonda Bodfield, Arizona Daily Star

Four young immigration activists, three undocumented, were arrested for trespass when they refused to leave U.S. Sen. John McCain’s Tucson office after closing.

Initially, five activists, all dressed in graduation caps and gowns, launched a sit-in around lunchtime, while about 50 supporters chanted and cheered them outside. Just before 6 p.m., Tania Unzueta, a 26-year-old who has lived in Chicago since she was 10, came out to serve as a spokesperson, saying she had the weakest immigration case.

She cried as she waited for the arrests. “I know how they’re feeling right now. They’re scared, but they know this is the right thing to do.”

The activists were part of a larger coalition of student-aged activists who are demanding that Congress revisit the DREAM Act, which would provide a path to citizenship for students who meet certain requirements, including living in the United States for five consecutive years, arriving before the age of 16, and completing a high school or general equivalency diploma.

In 2007, then-presidential contender McCain was absent for a vote on the act, which failed to advance in the Senate by eight votes.

McCain’s office released a statement saying that while he understands the students’ frustrations, “elections have consequences and they should focus their efforts on the President and the Democrats that control the agenda in Congress.”

One of those arrested, 25-year-old Lizbeth Mateo, came to the U.S. from Mexico when she was 14. She became the first in her family to graduate from high school and said she graduated from California State University with a bachelor’s in chicano studies. While she took the test for law school, she said, she couldn’t take any scholarships because of her status.

“I’ve been a good student. I’ve never been in trouble,” she said, adding she’s willing to take the risk that she’ll be deported. “Living life this way without hope is not enough.”

Mohammad Abdollahi, a 24-year-old from Iran who lives in Michigan, was also arrested, saying he’s willing to face deportation as well. “It’s a risk everybody in our community faces on a daily basis. And at the end of the day, we need a solution.”

The other two arrestees include 27-year-old Raúl Alcaraz, a legal permanent resident who lives in Tucson, and Yahaira Cariillo, who is originally from Mexico but lives in Kansas City.

A police van backed up to the office doors, allowing the crowd only a brief glimpse of the waving arrestees.

Flavia de la Fuente, the spokeswoman for the group and a 22-year-old political science student at UCLA, said the goal is to create a “moral crisis” that will trigger rallies, vigils, hunger strikes and other demonstrations across the nation.

While other protests are planned at congressional offices of both parties across the country, de la Fuente said Arizona was picked as a battleground both because McCain in the past was a supporter of the act, and because of the new immigration law. “I think a standard based on enforcement and racial profiling is not a standard America wants for its immigration policy,” she said. Although racial profiling is expressly prohibited in the law, she said the vagueness of the law will make profiling the natural result.

Arizona's voices of discontent

By Shawndrea Corbin
College Times
Issue date: 5/13/10

On April 20, nine Arizona State University students chained themselves to the state Capitol building in order to protest Arizona's controversial immigration bill, SB1070. The bill was signed in to law three days later by Governor Brewer.

The new law will make it a state crime for illegal immigrants to be in the state of Arizona and requires police to request proof of citizenship from people they have "reasonable suspicion" are in the country illegally. The bill's passing, and the subsequent protesting across the country, have put Arizona in the national spotlight.

Justine Garcia was one of the nine ASU students arrested during the incident. College Times recently spoke with Garcia to get some perspective from someone in the front lines of the protesting movement.

College Times: Why were you protesting that day?

Garcia: We were protesting because we went through all other legal means possible to oppose SB1070. It violates civil rights for Latinos. We sent e-mails, called the governor, voted and eventually protested peacefully. We did everything within the law.

Were you scared when the police showed up?

A little bit. But seeing the support that we had from the community and students, it made me feel better. It was scary seeing my friends get arrested though, but I know I was doing the right thing. It was my first time getting arrested.

What drives you to get out and protest?

This is the third year I've been protesting for this cause. This is a violation of human rights and it's happening in our own community. That's what makes me compelled, how can you just let this happen? We have the power and it's human nature. How could you not help these people?

Do you feel that protesting in physical demonstrations is the best way to get your message across?

The calls and e-mails we made aren't put out to the public. We chained ourselves to the Capitol as a metaphor. People are chained to the Legislature; their decisions affect all of us. This showed the public that we are actual students, not criminals, and that protesting does have an impact.

Immigration protesters jam downtown L.A. streets; LAPD makes arrests

Traffic in parts of downtown L.A. were jammed because of a demonstration by critics of Arizona's new law cracking down on illegal immigrants.

The LAPD said some of the protesters were blocking several streets, including Alameda and Commercial streets. KTLA News video showed police making arrests of demonstrators lying in the street.

Traffic at the civic center near L.A. City Hall was backed up.

The protest was outside the federal prison in downtown L.A. "This detention center symbolizes the incarceration and internment of so many immigrants and the separation of families," according to a statement on a website posted by the protesters.

Officials said the protest could cause traffic problems for several hours and might cause disruption for people trying to drive into the detention facility parking lot.

KTLA News video showed gridlock on some streets as motorists struggled through detours.

-- Shelby Grad

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2010/05/immigration-protesters-jam-downtown-la-streets.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+lanowblog+%28L.A.+Now%29

Chicago: Civil disobedience new tactic in immigration reform fight

Chanting "Illinois is not Arizona," local activists escalated their push for immigration reform today by trying to block the deportation of illegal immigrants from a federal detention center in suburban Broadview, the first of what they vowed would be a campaign of civil disobedience.

After briefly blocking a departing van, two dozen protesters were arrested on disorderly conduct charges as part of a movement energized by Arizona's passage last week of the nation's toughest law against illegal immigrants. The law allows police to single out suspected immigrants and demand proof of legal residence.

The new law -- which critics say will lead to racial profiling but proponents defend as a matter of security -- has sparked a revival of the immigration debate. In Washington, President Barack Obama called the measure "misguided" and Senate leaders have moved the issue back to the top of their agenda.

Frustrated that Obama has not acted on a promise to push for reform, activists in Chicago and elsewhere say they are planning acts of disobedience akin to sit-ins at previously scheduled marches around the country on Saturday, including a march past the White House.

In Chicago, thousands of demonstrators are expected to participate in a pro-reform march through the Loop.

"We have to escalate to another level because they have forced us," said Fabian Morales, one of those arrested and a principal organizer of Saturday's march. "We've tried to do this peacefully and have not been given a peaceful solution. We have to look for another level."

Tuesday's arrests in Broadview were planned by activists hoping to rekindle a movement that in 2007 inspired several hundred thousand people to march in the streets, sparking comparisons to the civil rights movement of the 1960s.

By midafternoon, however, the deportation of 67 Mexican nationals went ahead as scheduled, with most of the prisoners deported for criminal violations, said Gail Montenegro, spokeswoman for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The agency "respects the fundamental right of individuals to protest. However, despite the recent protests, ICE agents continued their operations as planned," Montenegro said in a statement.

The demonstrators numbered about 100 and included priests, rabbis, labor organizers and relatives of deported immigrants. Twenty-four of them planted themselves on the road, hoping to stop the federal bus that heads twice a week to O'Hare International Airport for scheduled deportation flights.

But the first vehicle to pull out was a Kenosha County van ferrying illegal immigrants to Wisconsin, where they also were likely to face deportation proceedings. After a 15-minute standoff, the van reversed and headed back into the detention center as the crowd cheered and chanted "no deportations today."

The demonstration was more civil than disobedient. The demonstrators, many of whom camped overnight outside the center, were taken into custody one by one without handcuffs about 7:15 a.m. They were taken to the Broadview police station, where they were charged with misdemeanors, processed and promptly released with May 24 court dates.

Holding up photos of people who already have been deported, the protestors called the Arizona law a dangerous precedent likely to foment resentment against Latino immigrants in areas of the country where frustrations over illegal immigration runs high.

"There is now a racial reign of terror spreading across the country and it has to be stopped," said Joshua Hoyt, director of the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights and one of those arrested.

Dan Stein, president of the Washington-based Federation for American Immigration Reform, which supports tougher immigration enforcement, dismissed such talk as disingenuous.

"In the end, this is about lawlessness and security and respect for law," Stein said.

For Broadview police chief Raymond Pelletier, upholding the law Tuesday was a bit uncomfortable. Among the crowd of protesters along the mostly industrial strip of Beach Street that hosts the federal detention center were religious figures and other community leaders.

"I never wanted to arrest a priest," the chief said as an idling police wagon prepared to ferry away the demonstrators.

http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2010/04/protesters-stop-van-of-deportees-headed-for-ohare.html