Immigrant Rights - The Protests and Walkouts are Growing Larger in Fresno

Immigrant Rights - The Protests and Walkouts are Growing Larger in Fresno
By Mike Rhodes

Estimates of the number of students at the immigrant rights marches and rally in downtown Fresno ranged wildly today. The Fresno Police Department captain on the scene estimated 2,000. The Reverend Floyd Harris, president of the California chapter of the National Action Network, estimated 6,000. What was certain is that thousands of students made their way downtown today, in the pouring rain, to protest against the anti-immigrant HR 4437 that is being discussed in Congress.

The march and rally was significantly larger than the spontaneous walkout and march, led by student activists yesterday. See http://www.indybay.org/news/2006/03/1811395.php for the story and pictures from that event. Today the students came from almost, if not all, local high schools. The students gathered at City Hall, held a rally, and marched to the Fulton Mall and back to City Hall.

Shortly before Noon there were several splinter marches heading in various directions and you could hear chanting and the yelling of these massive marches all over the downtown area. Perhaps the largest contingent, once again, came from Fresno High. There arrival created an uproar from students who had already arrived that could be heard for blocks. One of the last groups to arrive was a group from Hoover High, which is at least 5 miles North of downtown.

While there was a massive police presence, there was no evidence of arrests taking place at this peaceful rally and march.