May Day demonstrators take to LA streets

May Day marchers chanting slogans and carrying signs — and at least one Donald Trump piñata — took to the streets of Los Angeles on Sunday calling for immigrant and worker rights and decrying what they see as hateful presidential campaign rhetoric.

It's one of several events in cities nationwide to call for better wages for workers, an end to deportations and support for an Obama administration plan to give work permits to immigrants in the country illegally whose children are American citizens.

LAPD officials had anticipated crowds and staffed up accordingly after violent protests last week, first outside a Donald Trump campaign rally in Costa Mesa on Thursday and then at the California Republican Party convention in Burlingame, Calif.

But demonstrators at Sunday's main march through downtown L.A. numbered 2,000 at maximum, police said, and the march was peaceful.

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Still, many there said they were upset over campaign rhetoric, especially from the Trump campaign. Many wore t-shirts that read "I'm a dealer" or "I'm a trafficker," in reaction to remarks they said have painted immigrants as criminals.

"I think that's outrageous, how people think just because you're from somewhere else, you're a bad person," said Jose Rodriguez, 21, of Pasadena, who was wearing an "I'm a dealer" t-shirt.

Rodriguez said that he and his father are U.S. citizens, but that his mother obtained legal status only recently.

"My mom is an immigrant, she's from Mexico," Rodriguez said, "and I wouldn't want for somebody to take my mom away."

Demonstrators repeatedly called out Trump for his remarks about immigrants, workers and women. The leading Republican presidential contender has called for a wall on the border with Mexico and chided Democratic hopeful Hillary Clinton for playing the so-called "woman card."

"In addition to fighting for workers' rights, we are fighting for our dignity this time around, our self-respect," said Jorge-Mario Cabrera, a spokesman for the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles.

"We can certainly encourage folks to look at what they're watching, what they're hearing and have them represent themselves and their families — whether they can vote or not — and say, 'We are not the rapists. We are not the criminals you are talking about. And we are quite good for this country,'" Cabrera said.

Trump says he is not racist or anti-immigrant; he simply wants the U.S. to stop illegal immigration and control its borders.

Campaign rhetoric wasn't all that brought L.A. marchers out. Some said they were hopeful that the U.S. Supreme Court will decide in favor of President Obama's immigration plan when it issues its ruling in June.

Video: May Day in LA

Obama's executive immigration plan, which has been hung up in court, would allow some immigrants who are parents of U.S. citizens or arrived as minors to obtain work permits and be protected from deportation.

"We want them to hear our voices, to know that we are here and that we want a better life, with jobs," said Norberto Guiterrez, a 46-year-old immigrant from Mexico who joined families, union members and students who marched through downtown.

Some said they would qualify for relief under Obama's plan. Blanca Lopez of San Bernardino said she's been in the U.S. since 1997, but has been unable to legalize her status.

"We're marching because we want a better future for our children," said Lopez, 41, who said she would qualify for protection from deportation as the mother of U.S. citizens if the court rules in favor of the Obama administration. "We're a part of California. We pay taxes. We behave well. We're not criminals."

Around the world, union members have traditionally marched on May 1 for workers' rights. In the United States, the annual events have become a rallying point for immigrants and their supporters since massive demonstrations in 2006 against a proposed immigration enforcement bill.

In recent years, the marches have waned in size in U.S. cities, but the tradition has continued.

Marchers along San Francisco's scenic Fisherman's Wharf rallied in support of immigrant and workers' rights and to demand justice for several men fatally shot by city police.

About 300 people, including members of the International Longshore & Warehouse Union, held signs that read "Long Live May Day" and "Stop Police Terror," and chanted "No Justice No Peace! No Racist Police!"

The crowd planned a second rally nearby, where relatives of several Latino and black men killed by police were scheduled to speak. Another event was planned across the bay in Oakland.

Large marches were also planned Sunday for Portland, Oregon, and Seattle, where 16 people were arrested in last year's demonstrations. In Seattle, a march from the city's central district to downtown was scheduled for the afternoon, and city officials have approved a permit for the event. Later in the evening an anti-capitalist march is slated to begin in a downtown park. Authorities have not issued a permit for that gathering.

Social justice advocates in Durham, New Hampshire, said they would make the rejection of racism, xenophobia and anti-Muslim sentiment the themes of their annual rally.

"The Trump effect has taken over the media and silenced our voices," Tomas Kennedy, an organizer of the planned Miami march, said in a statement. "It's time to stand up against the current threat to democracy, freedom, human rights, equality, and the welfare of our country and all our people."

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Associated Press writers Edwin Tamara in Los Angeles, Olga Rodriguez in San Francisco, Amy Taxin in Orange County, Sergio Bustos in Miami and Chris Grygiel in Seattle contributed to this report.