Over 1.5 Million Demand Immigrant Rights in One of Largest Days of Protest in US History

In what is being called the largest day of protest in U.S. history, over 1.5 million people stayed away from work and school Monday to take part in nationwide marches in support of immigrant rights. In Chicago, organizers claimed a turnout of 700,000 people. In Los Angeles, at least 500,000. Here in New York, over 100,000 marched down Broadway. At least 75,000 people turned out in Denver, with thousands more in cities including San Jose, Phoenix, Milwaukee, New Orleans, Las Vegas and nearly 50 others.

Businesses across the country were closed as workers walked off the job for an economic boycott dubbed "A Day Without Immigrants." Meat producing companies, including Tyson foods, Cargill and Perdue Farms closed down more than two dozen plants employing over 20,00 people. In Phoenix, protesters formed a human chain to block off Wal-Mart and Home Depot stores. Traffic was down 90 percent at the main ports in Los Angeles and Long Beach, the country's largest. The boycott also attracted large student involvement. In Los Angeles, over 72,000 middle and high school students -- about one in every four students - were absent from school.

We go now to some of the voices from this historic day:

* Rep. Luis Gutierrez, (D - Illinois)
* Gloria Romero, California Senate Majority Leader (D)
* Bill Rosendahl, Los Angeles City Council member
* Gerardo Lorenz, of radio station KTNQ.

Here in New York, we caught up with demonstrators just steps from our firehouse studio in Chinatown.

* Demonstrators in Manhattan, NY.

LISTEN ONLINE:
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/05/02/1352219