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Arizona taking a stand against Sheriff Arpaio and Racism
Thousands of community members in Arizona marched against Sheriff Arpaio and the recent ICE raid in Bellingham, WA. Our demands to stop the abuse of immigrants and their families were made in a powerful way. Check out what went down.
What happened in Phoenix, Arizona on Saturday February 28th, 2009, a march that brought thousands of participants, was just an example of humanity and courage, a coming together of thousand of Arizonians and people in solidarity from all over the country. We were demanding that Sheriff Arpaio must go and with him the infamous 287(g) agreement, and a stop to the ICE raids. But the march was more than that; it was the people’s way to demand justice and respect for all. Led by Tonatierra and The National Day Laborer Organizing Network, Arizona ACORN, Somos America and other key organizations and supporters, Phoenix witnessed a peaceful, well-attended march which began at the Steele Indian School Park. Before it started, Native Americans leaders asked all the participants to respect the purpose of the march; they also guided the route of the march. Right on time the march began at 10 am and at that moment hundreds joined to peacefully march toward the Federal Building in downtown Phoenix. 10 thousand marchers walked over 4 miles long under high temperatures; mothers with their small kids in strollers, fathers with their kids, elder folks, men and women, youth, latinos, whites, blacks, people of faith, and workers from different industries, made it to the march to show that human rights, immigrant rights, people rights, do have real supporters, that such demands do have people’s power behind. And what a show of power was it! On Saturday, our demands to stop the abuses against immigrants and their families were all made in a powerful way.
The march was the place to make our demands heard. At one point the police wanted to keep us on the sidewalk, away from the streets, but thanks to the hundreds of participants we won the streets! Youth were asking as: “whose streets are these?” And we all just took the streets over. That’s how democracy really works; you push yourself all the way until you get what you want. One more time, a peaceful, but massive demonstration can bring the power to change things. On Saturday, that sense that immigrant communities were afraid of Sherriff Arpaio was totally shattered. That sense that we can defend and demand our rights was affirmed. We showed that the people in Phoenix, Arizona and throughout our country are tired of the abuse and impunity of authorities that abuse the law and ignore justice. We marched, and we will continue to march until we assert our rights in this country. So, Sherriff Arpaio, you should take notice, you have been warned.
Check out other photos from the event here.
Mayron Payes is an organizer for the Fair Immigration Reform Movement.
