Thread: Update: Immigration law protesters detained outside Alabama Senate door

Update: Immigration law protesters detained outside Alabama Senate door (video)
Published: Thursday, May 03, 2012, 11:49 AM Updated: Thursday, May 03, 2012, 1:19 PM
Kim Chandler -- Montgomery Bureau By Kim Chandler -- Montgomery Bureau

http://video-embed.al.com/services/p...sVYL0JT6q8Hm3e

MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- Six protestors were restrained and taken away by police this morning , as they protested outside the Alabama Senate door this morning in opposition to Alabama's stringent immigration law.

The protestors, who called themselves Alabama's Conscience, kneeled outside the Senate chamber door singing Amazing Grace and wearing T-shirts that read "Repeal Alabama's Pain." State House security called police because they said the protesters were being disruptive and blocking the flow of foot traffic.

The group included a minister, a former undocumented immigrant and a woman carrying her 6-month-old son.

The Rev. Angela Wright, pastor of Beloved Community United Church of Christ in Birmingham, who spoke for the group, said the group were individuals "who felt moved by faith and conscience to speak out against all the moral and human suffering caused by Alabama's immigration laws."

''Because they feel like the Legislature has not been moved by the pleas and cries of Alabamians, they have staged this civil disobedience, and chose not to be moved themselves. . . . And just to show their moral outrage and to say to the Senate and to the world that the fight is not over.," Wright said.

"These harsh laws cause good people to face unjust arrest every day. They risk arrest on the drive to church, their commute to work as they support their families, and when they take their children to school. Today love moves us to risk arrest for the sake of those who suffer daily across this state," Wright said.

"Stop the pain of Alabama. Repeal HB 56," Salvadore Cervantes shouted over and over as he was restrained by police and taken away

Hope Hamilton Schumacher, held her six-month old baby Amos during the peaceful demonstration, passing him to her husband as an officer came to lead her away.

2 Alabama state senators join immigration law protest 2 Alabama state senators join immigration law protest Two Alabama state senators, Bobby Singleton, D-Greensboro, and Quinton Ross, D-Montgomery, join an immigration law protest on Thursday, May 3, 2012, outside the doors of the Senate chamber in Capitol in Montgomery, Alabama. Six protesters were detained by police. Watch video
"For all the mothers," Schumacher of Birmingham, shouted in Spanish.

"For all the mothers that have been separated from their children," she followed in English.

The protest coincided with the National Day of Prayer.

The protesters at one point were joined by two state senators who kneeled with them.

"They have a right for their voices to be heard. We stand here with them," Sen. Bobby Singleton, D-Greensboro said. The other senator was Quinton Ross, D-Montgomery.

Secretary of the Senate Pat Harris said officials are not pressing charges against any protesters. "They have not been arrested and they are not being charged," Harris said.

Harris said Senate security called Alabama Capitol Police for assistance because the protesters were being disruptive and at one point blocking access to the Senate door. "My security people made the determination they were continuing to be disruptive and they were removed. Security did it with my permission," Harris said.

Harris said people may demonstrate at the State House but are expected to be orderly. "The other day they came up here and sang and we didn't move them," Harris said.

Updated at 1:15 p.m. with details that protesters detained will not be charged.

Update: Immigration law protesters detained outside Alabama Senate door (video) | al.com

Bobby Singleton
bsingle164@yahoo.com

Room 735
11 South Union Street
Montgomery, Alabama 36130
Phone: (334) 242-7935
Fax: (334) 242-7191



Quinton Ross
Quinton.ross@alsenate.gov

Room 735
11 South Union Street
Montgomery, Alabama 36130
(334) 242-7880

Expropriate their property and give it to illegal aliens to see how long they will "let it shine".

Oh wait, it's okay if it is someone else's job, but not their property.

Those people, yeah. I think the thing to do with Ariz/Ala type laws is await the Supreme Court decision. But for that side patience has never been practiced as a virtue.