Politics & Government
Massive Crowd Expected For LA's May Day March
Organizers predict 100,000 to march in LA on May Day , with dozens of organizations unifying in resistance of President Trump's policies.
LOS ANGELES, CA — Saying the aggressive tactics of President Donald Trump have united them, members of dozens of organizations said Wednesday they are joining forces for the annual May Day march in Los Angeles, and they predicted a crowd of up to 100,000 people descending on city streets for Monday's demonstration.
With the group banded under the banner "May Day Coalition of Los Angeles," organizers said more than 100 groups have come together for a massive joint campaign, including the Full Rights for Immigrants Coalition and the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles. It will mark the first time in more than 10 years that all marches on May Day in the city have announced unity among the groups.
The march, called "Resist Los Angeles," is scheduled to begin in MacArthur Park at 11 a.m. Monday and end at City Hall.
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Juan Jose Gutierrez, national coordinator of the Full Rights for Immigrants Coalition, spoke at a news conference at City Hall attended by several dozen organizers and said the march would send a message to the Trump administration that "our just struggle for comprehensive immigration reform with a path to citizenship is here to stay until we win it."
Organizers are also calling for a general strike on May Day.
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"Together we know that we can stop a Trump agenda, a Trump agenda that wants to build a wall, not build better lives, but build a wall. We know that if we march on May 1 we can continue to stop an agenda that seeks to penalize workers," said Angelica Salas, executive director of CHIRLA.
Los Angeles Police Department Chief Charlie Beck said officers will be out in force Monday to ensure the demonstration remains peaceful. He asked marchers to remember that his officers are in support of them and are not representatives of the federal government.
"My message is this: I know there are a lot of folks that are upset about recent immigration issues, have other issues with the federal government. You know, remember this is our city. Your police department supports you," Beck said during an appearance on ABC7. "We depend upon your cooperation. And let's make this a demonstration of L.A. unity and not the things that divide us."
City News Service; Image via Patch.com
