Photos, Videos: May Day Rallies Take Over Downtown To Promote Worker, Immigrant Rights
Pro-immigrant marchers on the move in #LA with a huge @realDonaldTrump effigy... #MayDay pic.twitter.com/MsQJpOXLJM
— Gadi Schwartz (@GadiNBC) May 1, 2016
Two May Day marches have hit the streets downtown in support of worker and immigrant rights. According to the Daily News, thousands are expected to attend, and address anti-immigrant, anti-Muslim sentiments expressed by certain Republican presidential candidates, as well as deportation legislation.
One rally held by the May Day Coalition was originally scheduled for noon, but will instead begin at 1 p.m, the L.A. Times reports. The group will begin the march at 11th and Figueroa streets and end at Aliso and Los Angeles streets. The other march, held by Full Rights For Immigrants was set to begin at 12:30 p.m. at Broadway and Olympic Boulevard, and end at Grand Park.
According to the Facebook page for the May Day Coalition march, other groups who helped organize and support the event include Asian Americans Advancing Justice-LA, Black Lives Matter So-Cal, Fight For $15, and the California Nurses Association, among many others.
The Los Angeles Department of Transportation has a map of which downtown streets will be closed to accommodate the marches.
Jorge-Mario Cabrera from the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles told NBC L.A. that the May Day marches were also meant to bring attention to poor treatment of immigrants. "In addition to fighting for workers' rights, we are fighting for our dignity this time around, our self-respect," he said. "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."
United, we stand! #MayDay #dtla #MayDay2016 pic.twitter.com/npVmJifmum
— Blake Scott (@BlakeScott_) May 1, 2016
People gather near LA Live for May Day March, starting soon...#MayDay #MayDayLA pic.twitter.com/yGGTdgXIEA
— Christina House (@therealchouse) May 1, 2016
Thousands of protesters fighting for immigration rights flocked to the #MayDay2015 rally in #DTLA. pic.twitter.com/W05TI7lp3x
— Angel Jennings (@AngelJennings) May 1, 2016
My people on 11th & Hope st in downtown Los Angeles for #MayDayLA ✊🏽🇺🇸 #MayDay #LAStory #Not1More #DAPA #DumpTrump pic.twitter.com/fpsoUasOJW
— 𝖀𝖓𝖆𝖕𝖔𝖑𝖔𝖌𝖊𝖙𝖎𝖈𝖆𝖑𝖑𝖞 𝕭𝖗𝖔𝖜𝖓 (@_JonathanRomero) May 1, 2016
The scene on 11th Street...#MayDayLA #MayDay #MayDay2016 #DTLA pic.twitter.com/fL0LZE1O23
— Christina House (@therealchouse) May 1, 2016
My people @ 11th & Hope st in downtown Los Angeles for #MayDayLA ✊🏽🇺🇸#MayDay #LAStory #Not1More #DAPA #DumpTrump pic.twitter.com/x6bdcUmBK0
— 𝖀𝖓𝖆𝖕𝖔𝖑𝖔𝖌𝖊𝖙𝖎𝖈𝖆𝖑𝖑𝖞 𝕭𝖗𝖔𝖜𝖓 (@_JonathanRomero) May 1, 2016
We are ready to march for workers' rights! #MayDay #MayDay2016 #1uWeRise pic.twitter.com/EZLNISfElK
— Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO (@LALabor) May 1, 2016
Earlier this week, Donald Trump supporters clashed with protestors at a rally in Orange County and things got ugly, but police expect today's marches to be peaceful.