May Day Amnesty Rallies Turn Violent
Amnesty forces staged protest rallies and demonstrations across the country on May1, International Workers’ Day. (The Washington Post, April 29, 2010). Such “May Day” rallies have become an annual ritual for special interest groups and amnesty advocates since 2006, when they came out to urge Congress to pass a sweeping amnesty bill. Arizona’s recent crackdown on illegal immigration ignited a renewed sense of urgency, and protesters took to the streets to decry the new law and demand amnesty. (The Washington Post, May 1, 2010).
The rallies turned violent as thousands of marchers swarmed Los Angeles, hundreds gathered in Phoenix, and dozens were arrested in Washington, D.C. (ABC News, May 1, 2010). A rally in Santa Cruz turned into a riot when some of the masked protesters smashed storefront windows and painted graffiti signs on dozens of businesses. (NBC News, May 3, 2010). Bearing torches, they stormed the city’s main street on Saturday night and vandalized at least 15 businesses, causing at least $100,000 worth of damage. (San Francisco Chronicle, May 3, 2010). In San Francisco, ABC-TV affiliate KGO reported that May Day marchers attacked supporters of the Arizona law, punching and kicking them while calling them racists. (ABC News , May 1, 2010).
The protests resulted in arrests around the country, including the arrest of U.S. Congressman Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.), who was arrested along with 34 others who staged a sit-in in front of the White House. (The New York Times, May 1, 2010). It appears that Rep. Gutierrez had every intention of disobeying police orders and getting arrested as he wore a t-shirt that read, “Arrest me, not my friends.” (See The Hill, May 1, 2010) Amnesty advocates promised civil disobedience and they delivered violence courtesy of angry mobs gathered throughout the nation, all in the name of open borders.
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