Three (NYC) City Council Members Arrested While Protesting Arizona Immigration Law

[pampango]

Source: DNA Info

Police arrested more than 50 people protesting Arizona's controversial new immigration law after they blocked traffic on lower Broadway in front of 26 Federal Plaza on Tuesday. Among those arrested were City Council members Daniel Dromm, Julissa Ferreras, and Brad Lander along with other New York-area labor and clergy leaders — all of whom wore buttons saying “I Am An Illegal Immigrant.”

Approximately 50 yards from where Stringer spoke, five counter-protestors held placards with the anti-immigration slogans “Illegals Go Home” and "No Amnesty for Illegals."

Andrew Whitman, 72, was visiting New York for the day when he passed the protest. “They’re making a sacrifice for a good cause,” Whitman said of those getting arrested.

The protest was the third such act of civil disobedience against Arizona's new laws in New York City this year. The last protest in front of Federal Plaza on May 24 ended with 37 arrests. Another protest on May 17 resulted in 16 arrests.


Read more: http://www.dnainfo.com/20100601/municipal-district/three-city-council-members-arrested-while-protesting-arizona-immigration-law

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Good slide show at: http://www.dnainfo.com/20100601/municipal-district/three-city-council-members-arrested-while-protesting-arizona-immigration-law/slideshow/popup/20172

The counter protesters got in two of the three hot-button words/phrases that republicans and tea baggers like to use: "amnesty" and "illegals". Unless the author of the story just missed other signs, the rw'ers forgot "secure the borders first". I bet in future counter protests, they'll get their act together. ;)

[hughee99]

1. Who were they protesting to?

Was there some representative of Arizona there?

[Freddie Stubbs]

2. They were playing it up to their constituents

Arizonans can't vote for them, so why would they protest there?

[roguevalley]

3. because perhaps they wanted to help make the point.