Over 200 people gathered in front of Citi Field on Friday, July 30, to protest against Arizona’s controversial immigration law SB 1070.
The rally’s time and place was chosen to coincide with the game between the Mets and the Arizona Diamondbacks at Citi Field. Diamondbacks’ owner Ken Kendrick has contributed over $1 million to help pass the law.
SB 1070 gives police officers the right to check the immigration status of individuals that they believe might be in the country illegally. Opponents fear that racial profiling, especially of the Latino community, is imminent.
The protest was organized by the Boycott Arizona NYC Committee, the Arizona Boycott Coalition and the May 1st Coalition for Worker and Immigrant Rights. Other activist groups that attended the event were the International Socialist Organization and students representing the MinKwon Center for Community Action. The rally called for a boycott of Arizona, including travel and business restrictions, similar to those already enforced in Boston and Los Angeles.
Protesters also called for changing the location of the MLB All-Star Game 2011, which is scheduled to take place at the Diamondbacks’ home field in Phoenix, AZ.
“It is time that the city officially stands in solidarity with the people of Arizona who will be affected by this racist law,” said Sarah Pomar of the Boycott Arizona NYC Committee. “It is time for the city to pass Resolution 0224, which calls for a boycott of Arizona, to send a clear message to our brothers and sisters in Arizona that New York City will not tolerate such bigoted legislation.”
Resolution 0224 has been sitting dormant in the City Council’s Committee on Immigration since May despite having the support of 31 councilmembers, including local councilmember Daniel Dromm, chair of the Committee on Immigration, and Melissa Mark-Viverito, Rosie Mendez, and Jumaane Williams.
More rallies are planned and the protestors hope that the city will give them a more prominent spot, unlike this time, when the rally was confined to a stretch of sidewalk under the 7 subway line and a few hundred feet away from the entrance to CitiField.
“Next week we are at CUNY!” said Hanna Wolfe, representative for the International Socialist Organization.
