LOS ANGELES — Thousands of people protesting mass deportations planned by President Donald Trump marched in Southern California on Sunday, including in downtown Los Angeles where protesters blocked a major freeway for several hours.
In the morning, protesters met on Olvera Street in LA, a place that has a long history from Spanish and Mexican times, before moving to City Hall. They demanded changes to immigration laws and held signs that said “Nobody is illegal.”
By the afternoon, protesters had blocked all lanes of U.S. 101, creating traffic jams in both ways and on local streets. The protestors sat in the road while California Highway Patrol police watched nearby. CHP Lt. Matt Gutierrez said Sunday evening that the road took over five hours to completely reopen.
The CHP and the Los Angeles Police Department said they have not made any charges.
To the east, hundreds of people rallied in the city of Riverside. Drivers passing by honked and cheered for the protesters waving flags at a crossing, according to the Southern California News Group.
On Sunday, hundreds gathered near the convention center in San Diego.
In Texas, demonstrators met in downtown Dallas on Sunday in a pair of protests against recent arrests by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Dallas cops informed The Associated Press that around 1,600 people showed up for the two rallies.
Marchers waved Mexican and American flags while speakers voiced their anger about Trump’s statements and his government’s efforts to increase deportations.
Protesters held signs, including one that said, “Immigrants Make America Great.”
Leave a Comment