The program, organized by Centro CSO, will honor the historic August 29, 1970 Chicano Moratorium, where over 30,000 people march to protest the high casualty rate of Chicanos in the war in Vietnam. The Chicano Moratorium event is held every year to commemorate the Chicanos’ community fight for equality, peace and against U.S. wars.

Now, the Centro CSO continues to denounce President Trump’s threats of interventions and war against countries like Iran, Venezuela and north Korea. They also call for the U.S. Navy and troops to get out of the Philippines.

Featured speakers at the event will be Raul Ruiz, former editor and photographer for La Raza newspaper. Also featured is Gloria Arellanes, a founder of the original Chicano Moratorium, Brown Berets, and Las Adelitas – an anti-war women’s group.

Cruz Becerra, a Vietnam war veteran, will also speak, along with Nikole Cababa, Secretary General of Bayan USA; Dalia Jaramillo-Chicano, Moratorium Organizing Committee; United Teachers of LA; Sol Marquez, Freedom Road Socialist Organization, and members of Centro CSO.

#LosAngelesCalifornia #LosAngelesCA #AntiwarMovement #ChicanoLatino #CentroCSO #ChicanoMoratorium #BoyleHeights #VietnamWar

The event began with a documentary showing of the first Chicano Moratorium, which took place on Aug. 29, 1970. David Cid, a Chicano activist from Boyle Heights, moderated the speakers panel, stating, “We are gathered here to remember the life and death of Rubén Salazar. Chicano journalist Ruben Salazar dedicated his work to chronicling the Chicano experience and the struggle for self-determination during the Chicano Movement in the late 1960s. 44 years after his assassination by the LA sheriffs on Aug. 29, 1970 at the Chicano Moratorium Against the Viet Nam War, the Chicano community still seeks justice. Salazar is a hero to our people. Salazar's enduring legacy is that Chicanos must continue to fight for equality and dignity.”

The Los Angeles County government will place a plaque honoring Ruben Salazar in Ruben Salazar Park Aug. 29.

Marisol Márquez, of the Florida group Raíces en Tampa and a member of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization, was another speaker. She said, “Over 1000 people daily are deported; our people are being detained, their cars impounded, they are raided while in their own homes and at their workplaces. Time and time again we are told to abandon our culture, our language, our way of thinking and our fights for equality and told to integrate. We don't want to integrate! We want liberation!”

Among the other speakers were Chicano Studies professor Karina Olivo Alvarado, who is from El Salvador. Alvarado spoke to the crowd about the ripple effects of the repression against immigrants. “One of my students called me asking for help. Her mother was being abused by a boss and needed help being removed from the situation. It is imperative that we understand not only are the undocumented harmed by repression; their children are as well.”

Ingrid Villeda, the United Teachers Los Angeles South Area Chair talked about the DUI checkpoints commonly seen all over California. Currently, drivers licenses are not available to those who are undocumented, but this is quickly going to change beginning in 2015. Quotas until then are being pushed onto local police who act as an extension of the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Villeda told the crowd, “Public records we demanded from the police at one particular checkpoint showed that only two out of about 98 arrests done were for driving under the influence. The other 98 were vehicle impounds belonging to the undocumented.”

Carlos Montes a founder of the Chicano liberation organization Brown Berets and organizer with the Community Service Organization (CSO), concluded the event by reminding attendees about the importance of learning history of struggle in East Los Angeles and about the importance of organizing for migrant rights, public education and against U.S. wars.

“We are all a part of the Legalization for All Network which opposes any continued oppression against people like us. We must continue organizing and fighting for liberation. For those of you who will be in Los Angeles on the 29th, we expect to see you honoring the Chicano Moratorium's 44 year anniversary!” said Montes.

The Legalization for All Network is currently pushing Congress and President Obama to extend Deferred Action to all of the undocumented. You can sign their petition here: bit.ly/Daca4AllPetition

#LosAngelesCalifornia #LosAngelesCA #PeoplesStruggles #CarlosMontes #ChicanoMoratorium #legalizationForAll #ImmigrantsRights #L4A #MarisolMarquez

A statement from the Committee to Stop FBI Repression notes, “Chicano leader and long-time anti-war activist Carlos Montes is the target of a FBI frame-up. The FBI and Los Angeles Sheriffs broke down Carlos’ door, ransacked his home and took his notes and papers, May 17, 2011. Carlos Montes refused to answer the FBI agent’s questions. Carlos knew the raid was part of the FBI repression of 23 anti-war activists who organized the mass protests outside the 2008 Republican National Convention in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Along with many others, Carlos Montes name appeared on the FBI search warrant for the Anti-War Committee office in Minneapolis on September 24, 2010.”

The statement continues, “Now Carlos Montes is facing six felony charges, because the FBI claims he is a felon in violation of firearm codes. The FBI claim stems from a 1969 student strike for Black, Chicano and Women’s studies at East L.A. College, where police beat and arrested demonstrators. Carlos was arrested on his way home, accused of assaulting a sheriff’s deputy (with an empty soda can). However, according to a recent court document, this charge was sentenced as a misdemeanor. The prosecution is basing its case on this 42-year-old misdemeanor, disguising it as a bogus felony. Without a past felony, all of the charges that Montes is now facing relating to his legally purchased firearms would be dismissed. Both sides agree that no prison time whatsoever was served in the 1969 incident. The legal process is being driven by something other than the facts of the case. It is political repression.”

Eric Gardner of the LA Committee to Stop FBI Repression states “It is important that people who care about justice and civil liberties join us at the court house March 27. The attempt to put Carlos Montes on trial is an attempt to put our right to dissent on trial.”

A picket will begin at 8:00 a.m., Tuesday, March 27, outside the Los Angeles Superior Courts Building at 210 W. Temple Street. Supporters will pack the hearing afterwards.

#LosAngelesCalifornia #LosAngelesCA #CarlosMontes #RepublicanNationalConvention #CommitteeToStopFBIRepression #Chicano

Starting in the heart of the historic Los Angeles district of La Placita, the militant march first headed to the Metropolitan Federal Detention Center, where the chants of, “Obama, escucha! Estamos en la lucha,” and “Esta es nuestra tierra, esta es nuestra lucha!” rang out. Speakers denounced President Obama for continuing to support Secure Communities (SCOMM). “‘Secure communities’ makes for the insecure communities of the Poli Migra,” said one demonstrator.

Carlos Montes talked about the FBI role in advocating for SCOMM and the current attack on anti-war activists. Loyda Alvarado, the rally emcee, spoke of the need to protest for immigrant rights on International Human Rights Day. Surita Patel, an attorney with Center for Constitutional Rights, talked about the lawsuit filed against Sheriff Lee Baca and the L.A. county sheriffs, demanding the release of data on how SCOMM had been used against immigrants. Miriam, a street vendor, spoke about how the L.A. sheriffs harass and constantly ticket street vendors trying to survive.

The march then headed to the Los Angeles County Central Jail. There, Pablo Alvarado, leader of the National Day Laborers Organizing Network, denounced SCOMM as a tool of ICE and local sheriffs to deport more immigrants. Dream Network students Jonathan and Isaac talked about their protest in Alabama at an ICE office and how they saw hundreds of immigrants crowded in ICE detention centers.

Also speaking at the jail, Erick Huerta spoke of the impact of SCOMM on undocumented students and youth who are left alone after their parents are deported. Gerard Lenoir, an African American activist with the U.S. Human Rights Network, express solidarity and condemned the racist anti-immigrant laws recently passed in Georgia and Alabama. A representative of the International League of People’s Struggle spoke of the plight of Asian immigrants from the Philippines. Day laborer Mariano Hernandez spoke of the constant harassment and fear of police when trying to work.

The marchers pointed out that Sheriff Lee Baca is a strong advocate of SCOMM, which has caused untold suffering for thousands of working class immigrants. Sheriff Baca was also called upon to resign because of the conditions in the L.A. County jails, which include the beating of prisoners and corruption, like sheriff deputies selling cell phones to prisoners. The FBI is investigating these charges against the sheriffs.

The march included members of the U.S. Human Rights Network, National Day Laborers Organizing Network, Southern California Immigration Coalition, Committee to Stop FBI Repression – L.A., Union del Barrio, International Action Center, Mecha de Santee HS, SGV Dream Network, CHIRLA, CARECEN, Pomona Day Labor Center, CLASE and others.

#LosAngelesCalifornia #LosAngeles #PoorPeoplesMovements #ICE #PeoplesStruggles #ChicanoLatino #WorkersAndGlobalization #SecureCommunities #SCOMM #Baca