MACARTHUR PARK, May Day 2007--Police stormed a workers' and immigrants' rally at 5:30 p.m. this afternoon in MacArthur Park, sending thousands of families running in terror as they cleared MIWON Immigrant rally and festival with foam and beanbag bullets, batons, and tear gas. The cops marched through the park in riot gear, indiscriminately clubbing down people in their wake. Young people formed the front line against the onslaught, running in retreat for a few yards at each thud-like explosion of a teargas canister and then turning back to the cops, while older and younger people ran through the single open exit in fear that it, too, would be barricaded. Full report with photos: Police Terror in the Park by Leslie Radford

LOS ANGELES, May 1, 2007 – An otherwise peaceful day of demonstrations throughout the city ended violently when the LAPD attacked the May Day march and rally in MacArthur Park today. A large rally numbering in the tens of 1,000s was driven from the park and the streets around the park. Families with young children were forced to flee as the police fired hundreds of rounds of rubber bullets and tear gas into the crowd. There are reports of many injuries, including journalists with a TV news crew. Some who have been hospitalized from their injuries. Witnesses report beatings with batons and many injuries from rubber bullets. The first incident of police violence occurred at Wilshire & Parkview when police drove a row of motorcycles head on into the march. A brief scuffle broke out but the situation was diffused. It was the incident at 7th and Alvarado that sparked the police attack, which resulted in the complete clearing of the park and scattered street fights with police in the neighboring area. From the Newswire: LAPD attack thousands of peaceful protestors at Immigrant Rights Rally! | | Police Riot on Peaceful Protest | | LAPD ATTACK PEACEFUL MAY DAY CROWD WITH RUBBER BULLETS AND TEARGAS | | 5/1: NISN Statement on LAPD Attacks May Day Immigrant Marchers, TAKE ACTION! | | Media of Police Gearing up at MacArthur Park

Audio from Kill Radio: Audio: Police disrupt event at Mac Arthur park

Photos of a peaceful demonstration before the police attack: May Day 2007 by William John Cox | | Los Angeles, May 1, 2007,The Great American Boycott II by Marcus | | May Day 2007 Los Angeles & May Day 2007 Los Angeles by Kimberly King

Here’s the latest news into the LA-IMC newsroom as of 12:00 AM:

High school walkouts have been reported throughout the city at well over 50 different schools. Many other schools have been placed on lockdown.

The massive downtown march as started. Now estimated at 50,000+ and growing. Smaller feeder marches are steaming in from all directions into the downtown area.

Port workers are holding a rally in Banning Park near the harbor after forcing the Port authority to declare May Day a holiday thus closing the harbor.

Unconfirmed reports of a few arrests in the downtown area. Some students have been detained and returned to campuses. All events seem to be peaceful at this time. No reports of police violence.

5:20 PM: The Police is trying to break up the march at 6th street and Park View. The people refuse to leave, each side standing face to face. The Lawyer's Guild of LA is negociating with the police for a compromise. There are still about 50,000 people at McArthur Park.

Update: 6:20 PM, The police has sent tear gas into the crowd at Alvarado and 6th street. Thousands of people are panicking and running away. The police is also firing rubber bullets into the crowd. They have declared unlawful assembly to a mostly family crowd, in McArthur Park.

Police have encircled McArthur Park asking people to leave, but ironically they are not allowing anyone to leave if they want. There are reports of fires and LAPD beating. The mainstream media is out for lunch as none are there.

Please see the newswire for more details.

On May 1st, 2007, hundreds of thousands, maybe millions, will stand up to the anti-migrant tide, against the raids and deportations, against punitive and terroristic "immigration reform." Migrants and those with recent migrant roots, will emerge from invisible communities and underground economies to demand dignity and justice from a government that is offering only a choice between which oppression it will unleash on them. And they have an answer: stop the raids and deportations, and legalization for all immigrants now.
Article: The Migrant Trap, and the Migrants' Way Out: May 1, 2007 by Leslie Radford
LA IMC Calendar: May 1 Immigrant Workers March-Rally In L.A.

Downtown and Mid-Town Los Angeles will be the focal points for two marches and rallies in support of the immigrant workers.

The first march will start at 12 noon. Immigration supporters will meet at Olympic and Broadway to march to Los Angeles City Hall.

The second march will start at Vermont and Third Street at 3 PM.

LOS ANGELES, April 29, 2007 - Hundreds of Mexican and "Central American" descent children marched through downtown Los Angeles Sunday afternoon to protest "racist immigration laws and racist deportations." The children and their families marched approximately four blocks, from Olvera Street to City Hall. The children -- the vast majority who are U.S. citizens due to the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution -- wore white t-shirts with the message "Legalize My Parents."

The marchers arrived at City Hall whereupon several speakers demanded that children not be torn apart from their families through racist deportation tactics. One speaker read aloud the United Nations Declaration of Children's Rights, emphasizing that all children have the right to be with their parents
From the Newswire: Children March Against Racist Deportations and Immigration Laws by Mexica Movement

PORT OF AZTLAN, April 27, 2007--The independent truckers of the Port of Aztlan, working with the Industrial Workers of the World, made good on their promise to shut down the Los Angeles port on May 1, in support of nationwide migrants' rights protests scheduled for that day and the truckers' struggle to organize. This morning the Los Angeles Port Authority declared the port would be closed for a May 1 "holiday," thereby avoiding potential litigation from shippers facing dockers' and demurrage fees for goods left on the dock during the truckers' strike.

Ernesto Nevarez, spokesperson for the truckers, explained, "[The Port Authority] knows the truckers are going to do it [strike] anyway. By calling it a legal holiday, they avoid liability for the shutdown. We forced them to recognize May Day." Full Story: Troqueros Declare Victory! by Leslie Radford

After four years of litigation, heated community protests, and on-and-off-again settlement talks, Assi Super, Inc. owner Daniel Sung Chul Rhee and his former employees have agreed to settle the workers' class action lawsuit alleging unpaid overtime wages and racial discrimination and harassment for $1.475 million. Full Story:ASSI MARKET WORKERS WIN $1.475 MILLION SETTLEMENT

UPDATE: Audio from Assi market press conference

LOS ANGELES - On Tuesday April 10, thirteen members of the Student Coalition Against Labor Exploitation (SCALE) were threatened with immediate suspension if they did not leave Bovard Hall just minutes after it closed to the public at 5pm. The letters even stipulated that the students would have to vacate their dorm rooms by 9am the following morning. The students were occupying the waiting room outside of President Steven B. Sample's office in an effort to force a meeting on USC's policies for contracting with apparel companies. Full Story: USC Student Activists Step up Pressure, Administration Responds In-Kind by Amy L. Dalton

Sam Zell, a multibillionaire and “committed Zionist,” will soon gain control of the LA Times, the Chicago Tribune, the Baltimore Sun, and 23 TV stations. Zell, an AIPAC supporter, has promised he won’t interfere with the news sections of any of the media outlets. I think he’s another Mortimer B. Zuckerman of the NY Daily News, who pushed for the Iraqi War. America--prepare for a “Dark Age!”

“The Press is Free, but for Whom? - Oswald Spengler
Full report: The Zelling Out of the Baltimore Sun by William Hughes

In the face of increasing repression against undocumented immigrants, specifically those of Latin American or Mexican descent who appear to be foreigners, FRENTE CONTRA LAS REDADAS/FRONT AGAINST THE RAIDS, a coalition of activists and organizations have formed to defend the people against increasing state police repression. They have put a call out for support from allies:

"So, we are proposing is that EVERY organization, party, collective, non-profit...etc. who is against theses raids send a rep to the next FCR meeting. It is VERY important that we keep up this momemtum so that we can build a real social movement to end these redadas. We are ready to take action, we just need the back up of as many people and organizations as possible!!! Please send a rep and try to recruit more orgs/people that are committed to the struggle to end the racist migra raids!!!"

Meeting is on Sunday the 15th. Click the title, or view the calendar for more information.

Human activity on Earth is heating up the planet. The polar ice caps are melting and at the current rate will be gone before the end of the century. The rain forests, which have served for millions of years as a carbon sink for greenhouse gases, are being turned into barren deserts. Around the world there are over 40 different wars and civil conflicts. Many of these conflicts are directly related to the effects of global warming and the destruction of balanced ecosystems.

In response various environmental groups have put out the call for a series of international days of demonstrations to raise awareness and to take action to halt the deterioration of the earth’s environment.

Upcoming Events: Earth Day LA | | Childrens Earth Day | | LA Green Party | | Earth First | | Tree Planting | | Biotech IMC

Over 150 people, a majority people of color, packed the Golden State Mutual auditorium on March 15 for an Evening of Resistance and Song featuring Sò An, renowned Haitian activist, former political prisoner and folk singer. They heard firsthand how people in Haiti are surviving extreme poverty and at the same time remaining one of the most politically active populations in the Caribbean, beginning with grassroots women.
Full report: 8th Annual GWS LA Event with Sò An by Global Women's Strike

- Amnesty Now! Full Rights for All Immigrants, Now! With these resounding chants, more than 75,000 immigrants and immigrant rights advocates under the banner of the April 7 Coalition marched and rallied for full rights for all immigrants last Saturday, April 7, 2007, in Los Angeles. Unlike the disparate and fewer numbers of mobilized activities last March 25, 2007, the April 7 Coalition march for full rights for all immigrants became one of the largest to be held in Los Angeles after May 1, 2006. This brings a new momentum for the immigrant rights movement in California. The conservative L.A Times estimated the crowd as 10,000 while the Latino Channel 34 estimate of the crowd was 50,000.
Full reports: April 7 Coalition March Rally in Los Angeles Draws 75,000 by Justice for Filipino American Veterans (JFAV | | Immigrants: 50,000 March for Immigration Reform by Stewart A. Alexander
Full report with photos: Masses of Immigrants Demand Amnesty by Cliff Olin
Photos: Pro-Immigration/Amnesty Protest on Broadway, Downtown Los Angeles 04.07 by True DeLuxe