http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?news ... 9392&rfi=6

05/02/2006
IMMIGRANTS UNITED: Thousands protest accross the U.S.; Laredo shows support
By MIGUEL TIMOSHENKOV , LAREDO MORNING TIMES


Rowdy mob shuts down Bridge I; Laredoans accosted

What started as a peaceful march on the Nuevo Laredo side of International Bridge I temporarily turned into a near-riot, with protestors blocking the way into Laredo for three hours Monday morning.
It was just one of several demonstrations marking what had been billed as a "Day Without an Immigrant" across the nation, in Texas and in Mexico.
Laredo saw several rallies and marches, including St. Augustine students and educators who braved 100-degree heat to walk from Galveston Street to Blessed Sacrament Church Monday afternoon. Bishop James A. Tamayo blessed them at the end of their journey,
At LBJ High School, students heard from their peers as well as from Congressman Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, and at the federal courthouse, students from Laredo Community College and members of the American G.I. Forum stood in solidarity with immigrants.
There were similar events, some smaller, some much larger, in other U.S. cities.
The mob of Mexican nationals that took over the bridge in Nuevo Laredo on Monday morning said they were acting in support of their brethren who are living and working illegally in the United States. They wanted to ensure that a boycott of all things U.S. set for Monday was respected, with members of the crowd shouting that they didn't want anyone going into the United States to buy or work.
At first, the rowdy crowd was confused with the Unión de Ex-Braceros y Migrantes del Noreste de México, who had put up huge cloth banners aimed at vehicular traffic crossing the Bridge of the Americas.
That union, headed by Juany Camacho and Jaime Bulás, were quick to point out that the mob was not part of the union's protest.
"We are (conducting) a non-violent protest, and are not blocking the right of citizens to use the pedestrian walkways," Camacho said. "These people, whom we do not recognize, are violating our movement."
The crowd forced women and children as well as men on foot to turn back, warning them not to cross into the United States. Several U.S. citizens were accosted, and Laredoans who had walked across earlier in the morning weren't allowed to return.
"Don't let anyone pass - now they will pay," shouted an unidentified man who was rallying the mob.
Linking arms, the protestors formed a human wall to stop all traffic across the bridge. There was jostling and pushing as some people tried to force their way past the protestors in vain.
Ricardo Guerrero of Laredo was carrying diapers and other items when he was threatened by one of the protestors, who told Guerrero that he was going to take the U.S.-bought goods and throw them in the river.
Guerrero pulled out his receipts, showing he had purchased the items over the weekend and had not violated the Monday boycott. After several insults and threats, he was allowed to continue into Nuevo Laredo. Other people also were accosted.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers stood at the ready, watching the protestors, but did not cross into Mexico. Laredo bridge officials also were alert, but didn't intervene since the action was on the Mexican side of the bridge.
Meanwhile, Mexican immigration authorities also were on alert but said they would not interfere unless they received orders from Mexico.
Hugo Sanchez Ayala, commander of the federal preventive police, went to the middle of the bridge to talk to the protestors to try to find a peaceful solution to no avail.
Finally, after officials again offered to make no arrests if the group would disperse and allow traffic to flow normally, the mob disbanded.