Immigration protesters to march before BCS game

Associated Press
Jan. 8, 2007 12:18 PM


GLENDALE - About 300 immigration rights advocates gathered in Glendale Monday for a planned march toward the University of Phoenix Stadium - site of Monday night's national college football championship game between Ohio State and Florida - even though they don't have a permit.

The City of Glendale denied them clearance to march. City spokeswoman Julie Frisoni said it would be impossible to ensure the marchers' safety because the roads will be clogged with traffic and there are no sidewalks along the road to the stadium.

"They've got women and children, they are marching and they want to go up 91st Avenue with no sidewalk," Fisone said. "We just can't have them do that, not today."

Nevertheless, the Arizona State University student who organized the march said it will go on. Carlos Garcia, 23, says it is the marchers' constitutional right to protest, although he said the protesters will obey any police commands.

Garcia and the immigration reform group Somos America want to draw attention to a new Arizona law they say will keep thousands of immigrant students from attending college. That law requires undocumented immigrants to pay out-of-state tuition, about three times the in-state amount.

Garcia said marchers also want to draw attention to a proposed federal law that would give children of illegal immigrants the chance to become U.S. citizens.

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/college ... t-ON.html#