Latino Immigrants Rally, March for Rights

[GREGAGREATAMERICAN]

Latino Immigrants Rally, March for Rights
Woodbridge, Va. - UPDATED - Sunday September 02, 2007 7:00 pm


http://www.wjla.com/news/stories/0907/452346.html

Thousands of Latino immigrants and advocates from across the Washington area rallied in northern Virginia Sunday to protest a county resolution that seeks to deny many public services to undocumented immigrants.

The event was the culmination of a weeklong boycott of Prince William County businesses that were not pro-immigrant or immigrant-owned.

Members of the group Mexicans Without Borders said they hoped the event would call attention to what they say are violations of residents' human and civil rights that would result from the Board of County Supervisors' resolution. The county's new law, passed July 10, is regarded as among the strictest in the region.

The event outside the Prince William County government center drew about 4,000 supporters from the region who at times became emotional, and even included a contingent from as far away as Wisconsin. Protesters chanted "yes we can" and held signs denouncing the legislation, some of which read "I am not a criminal," or "the resolution is unconstitutional." Marchers expressed concern about racial profiling, abuses by police or families being broken up. They also feared day-to-day impacts like being denied access to county schools, public libraries or pools.

"We want justice," said Jose Ismael Cruz in Spanish. The Culpeper, Va., resident from El Salvador brought his 2-year-old son, Ismael Cruz Jr., to the march and said he was concerned about his child's future.

"This is a bad law," he said. "It will increase racism toward us."

The late afternoon rally featured speakers and music, and was preceded by a march along a nearby parkway. At times, the crowd of marchers stretched from the beginning to the end of the mile-long route.
Some drivers passing the rally honked in support and no significant counter-protest appeared to be present. Protesters had organized a cleanup crew who picked up bottles and trash behind the march.

The legislation and the ensuing boycott have polarized opinions in the county. Windows of immigrant-supportive businesses displayed green signs given to them by boycott organizers. In response, Prince William County Chairman Corey Steward urged residents who want stricter immigration laws to avoid businesses supporting the boycott.

Greg Letiecq, president of the anti-illegal immigration group Help Save Manassas, said that the rally estimate of 75,000 given by protest organizers was a "scare tactic."

"The community is pretty solidly behind an agenda of trying to enforce the immigration laws that we have," Letiecq said. "Local governments should take whatever steps they're legally allowed to take to try to combat this at the local level."

The groups behind the boycott and rally said they did not have exact numbers on the impact of the boycott, but that they felt it had been a strong week

[Rawhide]

Quote from the article-
Protesters had organized a cleanup crew who picked up bottles and trash behind the march.
They can't pick up after themselves?! Were they protesting so feverishly that they couldn't stow the cans,bottles and signs in the bottom of the anchor chariots until they could get to a trashcan?




Head 'em up,move 'em out Rawhide!