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Oakland May Day march for immigrant rights
Marchers head out from Fruitvale BART
Oakland May Day march for immigrant rights
Video and editing: Jonathan Nack
OAKLAND – Workers and immigrant rights activists marched and rallied in Oakland's Fruitvale district today. The May Day activities began at 3:00 pm with a rally at the Fruitvale BART.
A march down International Boulevard led to a rally at Mi Pueblo supermarket in defense of immigrant workers there. The Mi Pueblo chain has announced that it will screen workers' immigration status after its employees tried to organize a union.
The rally at Mi Pueblo was followed by a march to Josie de la Cruz Park for another rally.
The action was organized by the Oakland Sin Fronteras coalition along with participating community organizations. A statement by the coalition said, “we march for May Day and demand just policies and conditions for immigrants and workers... to end the harassment and persecution of immigrant communities by federal agencies and local police.”
Other demands of the Oakland Sin Fronteras coalition, according to its statement, are:
“Halt the use of "no-match" letters to intimidate worker organizing efforts;
Hold elected officials accountable to support immigrant rights;
Money for human needs and services, not militarism and war; and
No more displacement from our homes and communities.”
Oakland's May Day action was part of hundreds of events across the country for immigrant rights, which has become an annual day of mobilization.
For more info.: http://www.mujeresunidas.net
Video and editing: Jonathan Nack
OAKLAND – Workers and immigrant rights activists marched and rallied in Oakland's Fruitvale district today. The May Day activities began at 3:00 pm with a rally at the Fruitvale BART.
A march down International Boulevard led to a rally at Mi Pueblo supermarket in defense of immigrant workers there. The Mi Pueblo chain has announced that it will screen workers' immigration status after its employees tried to organize a union.
The rally at Mi Pueblo was followed by a march to Josie de la Cruz Park for another rally.
The action was organized by the Oakland Sin Fronteras coalition along with participating community organizations. A statement by the coalition said, “we march for May Day and demand just policies and conditions for immigrants and workers... to end the harassment and persecution of immigrant communities by federal agencies and local police.”
Other demands of the Oakland Sin Fronteras coalition, according to its statement, are:
“Halt the use of "no-match" letters to intimidate worker organizing efforts;
Hold elected officials accountable to support immigrant rights;
Money for human needs and services, not militarism and war; and
No more displacement from our homes and communities.”
Oakland's May Day action was part of hundreds of events across the country for immigrant rights, which has become an annual day of mobilization.
For more info.: http://www.mujeresunidas.net
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There were no more than 1200 present far less than the approx. 5000 last year. Why ? As one Mexican immigrant union activist commented'' This was a Invisible march . Hardly anyone knew that it was happening ! ''
I think that ''Sin Fronteras ''close ties to the despicable Quan adm. seriously limits their organzing .
That's why for example they didn't want to march downtown . Because Quan, Santana and Jordan didn't want that to occur.
I think that ''Sin Fronteras ''close ties to the despicable Quan adm. seriously limits their organzing .
That's why for example they didn't want to march downtown . Because Quan, Santana and Jordan didn't want that to occur.
in response to marco, OSF has for years organized marches in the fruitvale neighborhood, and this year was no different. it was in fact because of occupy oakland and the potential high tension between those groups and police that the march has not ended up in downtown, not because of jean quan. if you were at the march, you would have heard organizers calling her and this administration out for choosing to bolster an already racist and incapable police force over real solutions towards public safety.
Sorry but those of us with that inconvient thing called memories know better . SF opposed last years march from the beginning because , like the Democratic party , they hated and feared Occupy Oakland . When their repeated attempts to dissuade the main organizers of the '' Dignity and Resistance '' May Day action (Most of them Latino Immigrants ) from co operating with OO failed they tried to wreck the March on May Day by trying to steer the march towards a obscure park in Chinatown away from Downtown.
Most of the marchers, a majority Immigrant workers, rejected their fear mongering and continued towards Oscar Grant Plaza .
There was a clash later on provoked as usual by the OPD . But that was after most marchers had left the area.
PS If SF is independent of City Hall where do they get their funding ?
Most of the marchers, a majority Immigrant workers, rejected their fear mongering and continued towards Oscar Grant Plaza .
There was a clash later on provoked as usual by the OPD . But that was after most marchers had left the area.
PS If SF is independent of City Hall where do they get their funding ?
And there's still the fact that this year was so much smaller than last yr . How does OSF ! explain that ?
Since May Day is not a holiday in the backward USA, and the immigrant groups did not declare a general strike for amnesty as they should have as that is the only way they will win amensty, the only possible viable immigration reform, you were lucky to have anybody show up at these protests in the daytime on a weekday. May Day is also unknown as being of any importance to most Americans. I was wishing people Happy May Day as we all walked to work, and received no indication that they even knew what it was, much less the same greeting in return. People go about their lives as silent statutes.
Having worked with numerous others who have sought, received, and/or been told by authorities to get a permit over the last couple decades, it's pretty clear that any city leader can virtually dictate what happens at permitted marches. Maybe the city doesn't write the scripts for each and every speaker, but police, elected officials, unelected officials, and any one else at or near City Hall who so cares can get involved and dictate the terms of the permit, even after it's been issued. Threats of liability and so forth are commonly used in Oakland to intimidate organizers and deter "protests" from swerving too far from what the Democratic machine wants, and generally it just wants window-dressing demos that make them look good, nothing that actually challenges the locus of corporate/Democratic control in the city.
Having a city permit means that your not really challenging the status quo, not really effecting change in Oakland. It might feel good to gather and rally, but that's about all you are going to get out of it with a city-approved action.
Having a city permit means that your not really challenging the status quo, not really effecting change in Oakland. It might feel good to gather and rally, but that's about all you are going to get out of it with a city-approved action.
..Noting that the organizers of the Fresno march didn't block in their attendees with yellow ropes and a security apparatus.So little trust...
Who are you calling "Immigrant" Pilgrim. The correct language to use is "Migrant" not "Immigrant" as we stand with all peoples but until the militarization of the South Border stops and the mass deportations the group targeted is Indigenous people who have traveled Indian (Artic Circle to tip of Chile) Country. If you want to come from strength you will use Migration in your language and if you want to beg from the KKKorporate slave masters than you use their language "Immigant" solidifying the illegal borders. I'm not into begging for a longer leash or a bigger cage but a world where we all can live free an Indigenous Revolution (Not communist, Marx is Papa Smurf). It is coming because you cannot have KKKapitalism with a sick environment so plant a garden and most of all STOP Driving.
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