Thousands of workers and activists rallied in the Westlake District before a march to downtown Los Angeles Friday for May Day, with organizers also calling for a broader “economic blackout” urging people to skip work, school and shopping.
The main gathering began at 10 a.m. Friday at MacArthur Park, with a march planned to Grand Park following a speaking program, according to organizers.
Video from the scene showed a large crowd of perhaps tens of thousands of people at the park.
Labor and immigrant rights groups said the demonstrations are part of International Workers’ Day, with events planned across California calling for expanded worker protections and immigration reforms.
“Our vision includes an economy that works for everyone with a living wage, strong labor protections and programs that keep families housed, fed, educated and healthy,” Francisco Moreno, executive director of the Council of Mexican Federations in North America, said at a news conference Tuesday.
Organizers said the Los Angeles event carries the theme “Solo el pueblo shuts it down: no school, no work, no shopping,” reflecting calls for an economic boycott modeled after similar protests earlier this year.
Participants were expected to include janitors, security officers, airport workers and stadium employees affiliated with SEIU-United Service Workers West, along with a coalition of labor unions, civil rights organizations, immigrant advocacy groups and faith leaders.
Speakers scheduled for the rally include SEIU-USWW President David Huerta, along with workers who will address wages, working conditions and the impact of corporate policies on low-income communities.
The march route from MacArthur Park to Grand Park spans roughly three miles and passes through areas with longstanding ties to Los Angeles’ immigrant communities, organizers said.
MacArthur Park has been a focal point for day laborers and street vendors, and organizers said recent immigration enforcement activity in the area has added to challenges faced by those workers.
“Starting there really sends a message that we’re here,” Kristal Romero, press secretary for the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, told LAist. “We’re standing with this community, and if you take on one of us, you take on all of us.”
Organizers said the demonstrators are calling for a pathway to citizenship, increased funding for education and health care, and an end to additional funding for federal immigration enforcement agencies.