Hundreds Demonstrate for Human Rights

About 500 protesters took to the

steps of Sproul Hall and the streets of

Berkeley Monday in support of the

rights of immigrants in America and

Palestinians in Israel in what one

speaker called a “universal declaration

of human rights.”

Several student groups, including

Xinaxtli and Students for Justice in

Palestine, united the separate causes of

American immigration policy and

Palestinian rights into a single movement

for global civil rights.

“You might be confused by the two

demonstrations going on today, but

both movements are protesting the

dehumanization of people across the world,” said lecturer Hatem Bazian,

who cancelled his class Monday to

speak at the protest. “There is a

Palestine in every city.”

Bearing posters declaring “Full

Rights for Immigrants” and Mexican

and American flags, participants

denounced the House resolution 4437,

which makes illegal immigration in

the U.S. a felony and tightens security

on the Mexico-United States border.

Protesters also linked the struggle

of immigrants to the Deir Yassin massacre

on April 10, 1948 which resulted

in the death of hundreds of Palestinian

civilians near Jerusalem.

“We do not separate the struggle of

indigenous people. A lot of people in the

Latin community don’t know they are fighting the same fight in the Middle

East,” said freshman Husam Zakharia, a

member of Students for Justice in

Palestine. “We need to stop working

individually—it’s the same oppression.”

The crowd of students, faculty and

Berkeley residents were met by a

handful of counter-protesters from the

Berkeley College Republicans.

“A lot of people are forgetting that

the counter-protesters are not there

because we are against immigration,”

said sophomore Amaris White, internal

vice president of the Berkeley

College Republicans. “This country

was founded on legal immigrants and

there are so many people in this world

that would do anything to come from

this country.”

The protesters marched towards

California Hall to ask Chancellor

Robert Birgeneau for support on the

issues and te end the UC system’s

financial involvement with Israel.

Although the hundreds demanded

Birgeneau address the crowd, campus

officials said he was out of town.

“Our Senate representatives and the

federal government must work to find

a way that treats immigrants with the

tradition of compassion, tolerance and

liberty,” said Birgeneau in a statement,

read aloud at the protest. “I myself am

very grateful to the United States for

accommodating me in this great country.”

Chanting, the protesters took to the

streets, blocking traffic by sitting in the

intersection of Shattuck Avenue and

Bancroft Way.

The street demonstration was similar

to dozens of protests from

California to Georgia yesterday, in

which immigrants and immigrantrights

activists joined together in a

national day for immigration justice.

Junior Rene Flores, a native of

Mexico, marched with drum in hand

banging his personal message

throughout the Berkeley streets.

Flores said the passage of HR 4437

would not only affect his friends and

family members, but would also stir

discontent of all immigrants on a

national and global scale.

“It’s a personal connection for me

and I’m happy to see the African

American community and Palestinian

community coming out and supporting

this because it’s an issue that

affects everyone,” he said.

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