Border Patrol targets immigrant rights activist family in Southeast Riverside County

http://la.indymedia.org/news/2010/05/239446.php

Border Patrol targets immigrant rights activist family in Southeast Riverside County
by Rockero Monday, May. 24, 2010 at 11:00 PM
rockero420@yahoo.com

Saturday, May 22, 2010
RIVERSIDE County, California - At about 10:30 Saturday night, agents with the US Customs and Border Protection entered an apartment where a family was watching television. Although members of the family asserted their rights, these were not respected. An adult and three minors were arrested and taken to the Theodore L. Newton, Jr. and George F. Azrak Border Patrol Station in Murrieta.

Members of the family played an important role in organizing this year's May Day pro-immigrant march in Temecula, and are residents of an apartment building that was the target of a multi-agency immigration raid in 2008. They suspect that they are being targeted for their social justice work.

"The Border Patrol is saying that the youths were at an AM/PM and they ran when they saw the patrol car. But it looks like their car was followed from the store, and the arrests occurred at the residence," said a volunteer advocate in the case.

"There's no reason that this should have happened to a family. If they are being targeted for exercising their human rights to free speech and assembly, this act of repression is a fundamental violation," commented a human rights worker.

One inland activist pointed out the police practice of photographing immigrant rights protesters, which he witnessed at this year's May 1 march in San Bernardino. "That's how they identify the troublemakers. They probably pass the information to the Border Patrol and other agencies," he speculated.

As of Sunday afternoon, volunteers had secured the stay of immediate deportation, while further defense remains in the works.

May Day Temecula / Primero de Mayo Temecula

http://la.indymedia.org/news/2010/05/237958.php

May Day Temecula
by Rockero Saturday, May. 01, 2010 at 8:50 PM
rockero420@yahoo.com

Thursday, April 29, 2010

TEMECULA - Approximately 130 members of the Temecula community marched and rallied for immigrant rights and against the recently-approved Arizona law SB 1070.

The rally began at Sam Hicks Memorial Park and marched through downtown Temecula to the the bewildered looks of the gringo community. The marchers arrived at the Temecula Duck Pond, where chants and cheers were uplifted.

The mood was festive, despite a latent anger about the bill legalizing discrimination in our neighboring state and the constant harassment of immigrants by local police. The security team, though inexperienced, were very professional.

Although most of the protesters were themselves immigrants, they did count on the solidarity of some concerned native-born folks, including a local high school teacher.

Only one counterprotester attempted to disrupt the action, demanding to know if the protesters had read the text of SB 1070. "Sir, as a activist, I assure you that I read every controversial law!" a young man reassured him. "Well let's sit down and read it," said the man. Once the activists realized his ploy, they, in the words of one witness, "enthusiastically ignored" him and frustrated his attempt to disrupt the manifestation.

For many of the march participants, it was the first time participating in a protest. A sense of empowerment was felt as they realized that they do not have to tolerate the abuses they suffer daily, and that there is a means to fight back.

http://la.indymedia.org/news/2010/05/237977.php

Primero de Mayo Temecula
by Rockero Saturday, May. 01, 2010 at 11:50 PM
rockero420@yahoo.com

Jueves, 29 abril 2010

TEMECULA, California - Unos 130 miembros de la comunidad de Temecula marcharon y manifestaron por los derechos de lxs inmigrantes y en contra de ley SB1070 de Arizona de aprobación reciente.

Algunxs de la comunidad "gringa" de este poblado rural y conservador del interior del sur de California miraron la marcha con curiosidad al verla pasar por el centro de la ciudad. Habiendo partido del Parque Memorial Sam Hicks, lxs marchantes llegaron al Estanque de Patos Temecula, donde levantaron consignas y porras como "¿Por qué marchamos? ¡Por nuestras familias!"

A pesar de un coraje latente hacia la ley que legaliza descriminación en el estado vecino y hostigamiento constante de migrantes por autoridades locales, la atmósfera del evento estuvo alegre. El equipo de seguridad, aunque no tuvieron nada de experiencia, desempeñaron su tarea como profesionales.

La mayoría de los manifestantes fueron familias inmigrantes, pero contaron con la solidaridad de ciudadanxs originarios del país, entre ellos una maestra de una preparatoria local.

Un solo contramanifestante intentó perturbar la manifestación, pidiendo saber si lxs manifestantes habían leído el texto de la ley. Un joven le aseguró, "Señor, como activista, ¡yo siempre leo todas las leyes controversiales!" "Bueno," le contestó el señor, "sentémonos a leerla pues." Cuando se dieron cuenta de la estrategia del hombre, los activistas "nos entusiasmamos a ignorarlos," según un testigo.

Para muchos de los partícipes, hoy fue la primera vez que protestaron. Sintieron que fueron capaz de luchar contra las injusticias que viven a diario, y que no las hay que tolerar.