Submitted on Wed, 05/05/2010 - 2:39am
By John Jacobsen - Fellow Worker Jacobsen is a labor activist currently living in Seattle, Washington. He works as a welder’s apprentice with the Boilermakers Local 104, and is an organizer with both the Seattle Solidarity Network and the Industrial Workers of the World. He has written and spoken on labor and anti-war topics to audiences from Seattle to Portland to London. Originally Posted at Trial by Fire
The Support Our Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhoods Act would require immigrants in the state of Arizona to carry their alien registration documents on their persons at all times. It also requires police to question any person they may reasonably suspect is in the U.S. illegally.
The Act comes after years of increased public outcry for better enforcement of U.S. immigration laws.
In response, grassroots organizations all over the country, from faith-based groups to labor unions, poured into the streets on May 1st to demand a repeal of the Arizona reforms.
May 1st, also known as International Workers’ Day, has traditionally marked the anniversary of the Haymarket Massacre in Chicago, 1886. But recently, the holiday has served as rallying point for labor activists and immigrant rights advocates to gather around.
Backlash – Mayday, 2010:
In all, over 90 cities saw tens of thousands of protestors march, and a large number of high-profile politicians and celebrities speak out against the Arizona law.
In this video, you can see U.S. Representative Luis Gutierrez (D-IL) being arrested for participating in an act of civil disobedience at the white house.
In another high-profile disagreement with Arizona, the Major League Baseball Players Association released a statement condemning SB1070.
In Chicago, between eight and fifteen thousand people gathered in support of immigrant rights only days after activists attempted to physically block deportation vans in their city. In Dallas, around 20,000 rallied.
Los Angelas saw by far the largest protests, massing about 50,000 marchers at its height, focusing predominantly on the Arizona reforms. Five coalitions, representing over 150 labor, faith, and immigrant rights organizations banded together to put out the call for the protests. Protestors in the march chanted “boycott Arizona,” and wore t-shirts asking “do I look illegal?”
Members of the Philadelphia General Membership Branch of the Industrial Workers of the World will picket the German Consul during his appearance at the Union League (140 South Broad St.) Thursday at noon to speak to members of the German-American Chamber of Commerce. This is the second action held in Philadelphia protesting escalating violations of basic labor rights in Germany.