美国国家公共电台 NPR United Against Trump, May Day Protests Expected To Swell

 

RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:

It's May Day. Demonstrators will march in support of workers rights around the world today. Here in the U.S., those marches are expected to draw larger than usual crowds because of President Trump's efforts to crack down on illegal immigration. NPR's Kirk Siegler reports from Los Angeles.

KIRK SIEGLER, BYLINE: The May Day marches across the U.S. back in 2006 were massive. They're often credited with killing a sweeping anti-illegal immigration bill in Congress. Here in LA, community organizer Tony Bernabe remembers those protests fondly. But 11 years later, Congress is no closer to striking a deal on immigration. And he thinks things are getting worse.

TONY BERNABE: There is fear in their community, a fear that - because this administration is basically scaring them.

SIEGLER: Bernabe and other organizers are doing last-minute planning in this old union hall near downtown. Despite predictions of large crowds, they say some would-be marchers could be afraid to come out. Some people in the country unlawfully have kept a low profile since the inauguration of President Trump. He's pledged to tighten U.S. immigration and build a wall along the Mexican border. Jorge-Mario Cabrera is with the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights.

JORGE-MARIO CABRERA: If the Trump administration has done something very well, it's that it has united lots and lots of communities who otherwise would not be marching together.

SIEGLER: In cities from Washington, D.C., to Los Angeles, to Seattle, the more traditional May Day labor marches are expected to swell with women's groups, police reformers, basically anyone who wants to protest the president and not to mention some pro-Trump counter-protesters. So the authorities are worried about violence. Seattle Police Captain Chris Fowler gave this stern warning.

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CHRIS FOWLER: Whether it's attacks on the police, attacks on the business community or attacks on each other within the crowd, we'll take the appropriate response.

SIEGLER: The concern is less over violence at the dozens of planned daytime protests around the U.S., but rather the more unplanned acts of civil disobedience that police say could last through the night. Kirk Siegler, NPR News, Los Angeles.

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