Immigration rallies drawing crowds to Phoenix, boycott of Arizona

PHOENIX Organizers of a boycott of Arizona over the state’s new immigration law called for a one-day suspension Saturday as they bused in people from across the country for a rally at the state Capitol.Supporters plan a rally of their own at a Tempe baseball stadium, encouraging like-minded Americans to “buycott” Arizona by planning vacations in the state.

The dueling events are expected to draw thousands. In San Francisco, groups planned to protest at the Arizona Diamondbacks’ game against the Giants Saturday evening.Critics of the law, set to take effect July 29, say it unfairly targets Hispanics and could lead to racial profiling. Its supporters say Arizona is trying to enforce immigration laws because the federal government has failed to do so.The law requires that police conducting traffic stops or questioning people about possible legal violations ask them about their immigration status if there is “reasonable suspicion” that they’re in the country illegally. Reasonable suspicion is not defined.

“Arizona has become the testing ground for the most draconian and anti-immigrant legislation in the country,” said Pablo Alvarado, executive director of the National Day Laborer Organizing Network.

Some opponents of the law have encouraged people to cancel conventions in the state and avoid doing business with Arizona-based companies, hoping the economic pressure forces lawmakers to repeal the law.But Alfredo Gutierrez, chairman of the boycott committee of Hispanic civil rights group Somos America, said the boycott doesn’t apply to people coming to resist the law. Opponents said they had secured warehouse space for 5,000 people to sleep on cots instead of staying in hotels.

They’re calling on President Barack Obama to order immigration authorities to refuse to take custody of illegal immigrants turned over under Arizona’s law.Supporters of the law sought to counteract the economic damage of boycotts by bringing supporters into the state.

“Arizona, we feel, is America’s Alamo in the fight against illegal and dangerous entry into the United States,” said Gina Loudon of St. Louis, who is organizing the “buycott.” “Our border guards and all of Arizona law enforcement are the undermanned, under-gunned, taxed-to-the-limit front-line defenders trying to hold back the invasion.”The law also makes it a state crime to be in the country illegally or to impede traffic while hiring day laborers, regardless of the worker’s immigration status.(AP)

Seattle becomes 11th city to boycott Arizona immigration law

the Seattle City Council unanimously voted to boycott Arizona by ending official city travel there and resolving, when practical, to cut off future contracts with Arizona-based businesses. That makes Seattle the 11th city to endorse a boycott of the state in opposition to its controversial immigration law. Five of the boycotting cities are in California: Los Angeles tops the list as the biggest, and its boycott could deliver the most painful blow to Arizona’s economy, as the city has $58 million in existing contracts with Arizona companies, according to the L.A. Times.

In pending city votes, some members of Dallas’s city council are considering a boycott, along with the municipal governments in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Berkeley, California.Tourism officials and Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer are pleading with opponents of the law not to boycott, saying innocent people could lose their jobs. But Democratic Arizona Rep. Raul Grijalva has led the calls for boycotts of his own state, arguing that pressure needs to be put on officials to repeal the law, much as similar economic initiatives spurred the state to officially recognize the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday when it was the last state to withhold such recognition.

Legal challenges to the Arizona measure could well render the boycott campaign moot, however. Since the law, which makes it a state crime to be an illegal immigrant, is already facing five legal challenges, it may be overturned before it can go into effect July 23.Here’s a list of the cities that have announced travel and/or city-contract boycotts so far:

• Seattle, Washington• El Paso, Texas• Austin, Texas• Boston, Massachusetts• St. Paul, Minnesota • Boulder, Colorado• San Diego, California• West Hollywood, California• San Francisco, California• Los Angeles, California• Oakland, California

And here is a roster of groups that have announced travel boycotts, via Arizonaboycottclearinghouse.com

Los Angeles became the largest city yet to boycott Arizona business over new immigration law

LOS ANGELES  on Wednesday became the largest city yet to boycott Arizona over its tough new law targeting illegal immigration in a move that likely will affect some $8 million in contracts with the state.The City Council voted 13-1 to bar Los Angeles from conducting business with Arizona unless the law is repealed. The vote followed an emotional council discussion during which many members noted that their ancestors were U.S. immigrants.

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa already has said he would approve the boycott.The proposal could affect investments and contracts worth as much as $52 million, including contracts for airport, harbor and trucking services, according to a report from the city’s chief legislative analyst. That report recommends the council consider suspending travel, cutting contracts and refraining from making any new ones with Arizona-based companies.

But Councilwoman Janice Hahn, who co-authored the resolution, said it would be impractical to cancel most of those deals and only about $7 million to $8 million in city contracts probably would be affected.

“US Airways is based in Arizona and they certainly fly in and out (of Los Angeles)” and it would hardly be feasible to end those flights, Hahn said before the council vote.Hahn said the Los Angeles boycott also won’t affect the city’s Department of Water and Power, which has wind farm and nuclear energy contracts in Arizona. Among the contracts with Arizona companies that conceivably could be terminated include those for helicopter services, Taser guns, waste management, engineering and surveillance equipment.

Hahn said “the best scenario” would be to turn around and give those contracts to California suppliers.The resolution claims that Arizona’s new law encourages racial profiling and is unconstitutional. The law, set to take effect July 29, requires police enforcing another law to question a person about his or her immigration status if there is “reasonable suspicion” that the person is in the United States illegally and makes it a state crime to be in the country illegally. Several lawsuits seeking to block its implementation are pending in U.S. District Court in Phoenix.

Some polls have shown strong popular support for the Arizona law and critics are concerned that other states may follow up with their own versions.Several cities across the country have passed resolutions or urged boycotts to protest the law, including California cities such as Oakland and San Diego. A nonbinding resolution approved Tuesday by San Francisco city supervisors urges a boycott of Arizona-based businesses and asks sports leagues not to hold championship games or tournaments there.

Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer said the boycotts are unfortunate and misguided, primarily because the law mirrors a federal requirement that legal immigrants carry immigration papers.”It’s already the law in the United States, and I have a responsibility to stand up and protect the people of Arizona and we will do that,” Brewer said Tuesday.Charges that the law will lead to racial profiling are “just pure rhetoric,” Brewer said.

“I find it really interesting that we have people out there that are attempting a boycott in favor of illegal actions in Arizona. That to me is just unbelievable.”Of the resolution in Los Angeles, Hahn said: “We want to stand back and say that we’re against it. We’re hoping that Arizona will be the last state to do this instead of just the first state to do it.”The city staged a similar economic boycott against South Africa during apartheid and against Colorado after voters in 1992 passed a state law repealing local ordinances that banned discrimination against homosexuals.(AP)

1.500 anti-government protest as part of a series of demonstrations began done by the opposition in the city of Vladivostok

Vladivostok  Russian citizens approximately 1.500 anti-government protest as part of a series of demonstrations began done by the opposition in the city of Vladivostok. The plan will be protests across the whole of Russia today. The critics of this government declared a national protest against the Russian government failed to overcome the worst economic crisis experienced for a decade. Meanwhile, it also triggered a protest election results that show the area of government support decline.

In action, the protest leader read out the demands addressed to the government. Among those demands is to ask Prime Minister Vladimir Putin to resign from office. They also demanded direct election of governors, which is removed by the government in 2004. Similarly Reuters reported on Saturday (20/3/2010).

Some of the demands in these protests can not be separated from the citizens that the government wants President Dimitry Medvedev is more serious in its economic policy. Demands that include lowering the cost of public services, increasing pensions and cut taxes for the import of used cars that became the main industry in Vladivostok.

“People’s lives more difficult and they blame the government’s performance,” said one protest leader Alexander Krinitsky. “They (the people) there is no other option to voice their desires through protest,” continued Krinitsky.

Opposition parties continue to protest mushroomed in recent months, following the economic crisis experienced by Russia. Russia’s economic crisis was caused Russia’s economic growth rate continued to soar stalled over the last 10 years. In addition the unemployment rate continues to increase to nine percent.

While the protest that followed before approximately 1.500 people, the organizer of this action criticized the security effort to thwart protests. They accused the authorities have been preaching to the media if the protest this time is prohibited and confiscated leaflets call for this protest followed.

Police had not seen too much action this time guarding. Only a few members of the police watched the demonstrators that the action did not lead to the anarchists. (faj) – approximately 1.500 Russian citizens anti-government protest as part of a series of demonstrations began done by the opposition. The plan will be protests across the whole of Russia today.

The critics of this government declared a national protest against the Russian government failed to overcome the worst economic crisis experienced for a decade. Meanwhile, it also triggered a protest election results that show the area of government support decline.

In action, the protest leader read out the demands addressed to the government. Among those demands is to ask Prime Minister Vladimir Putin to resign from office. In addition they also asked for direct gubernatorial elections, which removed by the government in 2004. Similarly Reuters reported on Saturday (20/3/2010).

Some of the demands in these protests can not be separated from the citizens that the government wants President Dimitry Medvedev is more serious in its economic policy. Demands that include lowering the cost of public services, increasing pensions and cut taxes for the import of used cars that became the main industry in Vladivostok.

“People’s lives more difficult and they blame the government’s performance,” said one protest leader Alexander Krinitsky. “They (the people) there is no other option to voice their desires through protest,” continued Krinitsky.

Opposition parties continue to protest mushroomed in recent months, following the economic crisis experienced by Russia. Russia’s economic crisis was caused Russia’s economic growth rate continued to soar stalled over the last 10 years. In addition the unemployment rate continues to increase to nine percent.

While the protest that followed before approximately 1.500 people, the organizer of this action criticized the security effort to thwart protests. They accused the authorities have been preaching to the media if the protest this time is prohibited and confiscated leaflets call for this protest followed.

Police had not seen too much action this time guarding. Only a few members of the police watched the demonstrators that the action did not lead to the anarchists.