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As groups started assembling in Union Square for demonstrations yesterday afternoon, it was hard to figure out exactly what this year's May Day rally would be about.
SOUND: "The students, united, will never be defeated!"
The May 1st Coalition was passing out flyers. Its protestors called for an end to deportations, raids on undocumented immigrants, home foreclosures, the war in Iraq and the North American Free Trade Agreement. And they demanded more money for levees in New Orleans. Another group clutched signs that read, "Justice for Sean Bell and all victims of the racist police!"
SOUND: We want justice for Sean Bell!
Eighteen-year-old Jose Rodriguez says he was protesting last week's verdict that cleared three New York City police detectives in the shooting of Sean Bell. He says clumping different issues together on May Day is efficient.
ACT: Jose Rodriguez: It's better doing them all at once. You get them all done at the same time.
SOUND: [Fade in…] Together and fight for better working conditions! [Fade out…]
About twenty blocks south at Sara D. Roosevelt Park, the Socialist Party was getting ready to march into Union Square in honor of International Workers' Day. Nineteen-year-old Peter Moody was just one of a handful of white people standing among hundreds of Asian and Latino protestors demanding better working conditions. Moody's been a socialist since 7th grade. He says May Day is a time for all workers to unite, regardless of race or immigration status.
ACT: Peter Moody: At the root of our problems is the issue of class, and while there are white workers, black workers, Latino workers, Asian workers, ultimately however, we're all workers.
Moody was carrying a sign—in Chinese. He admitted that he didn't know what it said.
ACT: Peter Moody: I can't read Chinese…. Repeal Employer Sanctions now. To be honest, I don't know much about it. It was handed to me by some of the march organizers.
His comerade Kristin Schell says workers of the world should know Labor Day in September is not the real workers' day.
ACT: Kristin Schell: May Day is the real Labor Day and it should be a day to honor labor.
SOUND: Drum sound. With Spanish chant.
The march up to Union Square began and the Socialists took their place in line. Kristin Schell criticized one of her comerades' marching skills.
SOUND: (Kristin) You're not a very good sign-holder. Pull. (Peter) Jesus Christ…
They lined up right behind a group of Latin American workers demanding higher wages. Arturro Martinez emigrated from Puebla, Mexico 10 years ago. He's a bus boy at an Italian restaurant and says he's an undocumented worker. This was his first May Day rally. Martinez says he didn't plan to march, but every bus boy at his restaurant decided to protest. So his boss shut down the restaurant yesterday.
ACT: Arturro Martinez: Yeah, he close. What can he do? Nothing. You know if the people doesn't work, what can he do?
Meanwhile, Peter Moody and Kristin Schell of the Socialist Party suddenly realized that a group of anarchists was crowding them from behind.
ACT: Peter Moody: The anarchists are slowly but surely creeping up on us…
ACT: Kristin Schell: I know, they're trying to overtake our contingent!
By the time the march reached Union Square, there were already a couple thousand demonstrators there. Ernesto Castillo had been standing in the square all day. He says he was impressed with the size of the crowd - and its diversity.
ACT: Ernesto Castillo: What is amazing is that people from every race and color and country and religions and. I even see people from Pakistan, which is amazing. ….. So it's hope. I would sum up it's a lot of hope.
Castillo spent two years in prison as a political dissident in Chile during the 70s. The U.S. gave him political asylum 25 years ago. Castillo says it didn't matter that so many different protestors were delivering so many messages on May Day. The freedom to speak is what reminds him he's in the U.S. now. Ailsa Chang, Columbia Radio News.