This is really big
The man who has no imagination has no wings.
Muhammad Ali
Rodney D. Coates
Professor
LA settles May Day clash lawsuits
Cynthia de Castro / AJPress Los Angeles
Friday, 24 April 2009
http://www.asianjournal.com/dateline-usa/15-datelineusa/1723-la-settles-may-day-clash-lawsuits.html
LOS ANGELES--In a press conference in LA, Multi-ethnic
Immigrant Workers Organizing Network and Pilipino
Workers Center announced that a $13M settlement has
been won in their lawsuit against the Los Angeles City
government for the inhumane police actions of the LAPD
against the MIWON march and rally on international
workers day two years ago. All of the peaceful
demonstrators that suffered from the wrongful police
actions on May 1st 2007 at the MIWON march and rally
will be eligible to receive compensation for the
violation. Filipino participants of the said rally are
enjoined to contact PWC to fi ll out claim forms to
avail of the settlement.
The march had a multi-ethnic mix of participants,
including a signifi cant contingent from the
Filipino-American community. When the police began to
disperse the crowd, the Filipinos there were also
forced to fl ee, which violated their rights to
peaceful assembly and freedom of speech.
"We never heard a warning. Suddenly the police were
firing tear gas and rubber-bullets into the crowd. One
of the Filipina caregivers, Normita, was going to speak
on the stage to advocate for genuine legalization for
all immigrants, when we had to start running. We had to
duck into a doorway because we were completely out of
breath. It was terrible," stated Strela Cervas, active
volunteer of Pilipino Workers Center.
Aquilina Soriano-Versoza, executive director of the
Pilipino Workers Center, said that the settlement won
is a victory for the community. PWC recognizes that
what happened on May 1st 2007 was not a "melee," but in
fact wrongful actions committed by the police against a
peaceful demonstration. "No amount of money can erase
the trauma experienced by the demonstrators, but the
settlement sends a strong message that the community
does have a right to voice its opinions and messages
without threat of violence," said Versoza.
At the press conferenceheld last April 21, 2009,
representatives from the Pilipino Workers Center (PWC),
Association of Filipino Workers (AFW), Multi-ethnic
Immigrant Workers Organizing Network (MIWON), Justice
for Filipino American Veterans (JFAV), Echo Park
Community Coalition (EPCC), Alliance Philippines
(AJLPP), Gabnet of the Mariposa Alliance, Kabataan
Makabayan (KMB) and Filipino Americans for Immigration
Reform gathered to announce that money is available for
those who participated in the May 1st 2007
demonstration. Anyone who needs instructions for filing
a claim should contact 1.800.430.8895 or the Pilipino
Workers Center at (213) 250-4353.
They also announced the actions that would be taken
this year on May 1st. This year, the march is calling
for Humane Immigration Reform, including an end to the
raids, the passage of the Employee Free Choice Act and
an economy that works for all. The Filipino contingent
will gather at the Pilipino Workers Center at 12:30pm
at 153 Glendale Blvd., 2nd Floor, Los Angeles, CA
90026. The main march will begin at 1:30 pm in Echo
Park at the corner of Echo Park and Park Ave. The
marchers will march down Sunset, past the detention
center and the Federal Building to end on Main street
at La Placita. They will then launch a collective
action where they will assemble a 2,000 person postcard
that will give an aerial message to the public and to
President Obama. All are invited to join or to witness
this historic event. (Cynthia de Castro)
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