into its third fourth day, with students abandoning their classes to protest immigration reform proposed by the Republicans:
Thousands of students walked out of high schools in Los Angeles and across Southern California this morning as protests against restrictions on immigration spread across the city for a fourth day.
School walkouts were reported at schools in San Diego and Orange counties, and in the Santa Clarita Valley in northern Los Angeles County. There were also immigrant rights marches nationwide.
This is getting to be the big, unexpected political story of the year. Indeed, you might call it the mother of all protest movements, at least in terms of how rapidly it arose and how large it has become. Republican demonization of immigrants, especially those from Mexico and other Central American countries has awakened a sleeping giant, and I don’t think either party has any clue yet on how to address the blowback. It should be an opportunity for the Democrats, but so far they’ve been silent. Let’s hope that changes — and soon.
More after the break . . .
In Los Angeles, dozens of schools experienced walkouts, with the major events downtown, where several thousand students converged on City Hall, and on the Westside and in the San Fernando Valley.
At midafternoon, student marchers descended onto the heavily-traveled 101 Freeway near downtown, snarling traffic and creating safety hazards, according to televised reports. The northbound freeway was restricted to one lane. The freeway later reopened after students exited on an off-ramp in Echo Park.
At noon, aides to Antonio Villaraigosa escorted representatives of half a dozen high schools to meet with the Los Angeles mayor, and California Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante addressed the crowd, telling the demonstrators they are sending an important message to Washington.
Gotta love all that youthful energy directed in such a positive manner. The kids are all right.