Updated again
I've returned from the protest in downtown Tucson and have posted a number of photos below. I also have a lot of video that needs editing - mas tarde. It was a great turn out. Peaceful but very energetic. A LOT of young people, very organized young people. :)
According to this blog post at the Arizona Daily Star, Pueblo Politics: Grijalva closes office because of death threats, Raul Grijalva is ordering his local offices in Tucson and Yuma closed, because of "multiple death threats and threats of violence."
Congressman Grijalva recently called for a boycott of Arizona in protest of the Arizona Senate Bill 1070. This is the kind of reaction he is getting.
more below
The source is brief and I'll update with further information as I can find it. The following from the article is quite telling, however. It's about race more than anything.
Grijalva staffer Ruben Reyes said the office has been flooded with calls all week about Senate Bill 1070. About 25 percent are "very racist" in nature, Reyes said, characterizing some as "telling that tortilla-eating wetback to go back to Mexico."
He said the staff feels "very intimidated" by the calls from this morning.
I was also sorry to see this morning that Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, of District 8 next door, has decided not to stand with Congressman Grijalva. Giffords says no to boycott
Her repudiation of U.S. Rep. Raul Grijalva’s call for conventions to steer clear of Arizona if the measure becomes law came as Congressional District 8 Republican hopefuls Jonathan Paton and Jesse Kelly called on Giffords to reject his comments.
"I am shocked and disgusted that Rep. Grijalva would call for a boycott of our very own state, especially in these economic times," Kelly said in a statement, calling on Giffords to "denounce this shameful rhetoric."
Paton, meanwhile, said SB 1070 gives law enforcement officers important tools to do their job.
"Gabrielle Giffords should denounce this extreme statement by the man who got her into office and built her political machine," Paton said in a statement Thursday. "We don't need to push more businesses out of the state with this kind of alarmist rhetoric about a bill most Arizonans support."
Giffords has gone along with these Republicans in essence if not in rhetoric. She has not yet made a statement on her views of SB 1070.
Giffords, who is seeking immediate deployment of National Guard troops and more Border Patrol agents, would not take a position on the law itself, other than to say if the federal government was doing its job properly, the state wouldn’t have to weigh in on border enforcement.
Feel free to use comments to discuss SB 1070, your views on the bill, and what you see going on in your communities if you are in Arizona.
NEWS UPDATES:
From AZ Daily Star: Large immigration protest affecting downtown traffic
Most of the crowd, estimated to be between 400 and 800 people, are young people. Many gathered there after walkouts earlier in the day at schools that include Pueblo, Cholla, Catalina and Rincon.
TUSD officials said today they estimate some 200 students from those school took part in the walkouts.
The crowd is staying on the sidewalk and the gathering is peaceful.
However, traffic is backed up on West Congress Street and police have shut down traffic South Granada Avenue, between Congress and West Alameda Street.
This is the second large protest young people have held this week at the state building.
From TPM: Rep. Grijalva's AZ Offices To Close For Weekend After Death Threats
Huffington Post has the story now, Raul Grijalva Gets Death Threats using the same sources, but has additional and horrible details
The Arizona Daily Star reports that Grijalva spokesman Adam Sarvana released a statement Friday saying that the congressman's office received "some pretty scary calls," including one from a man "who threatened to go down there and blow everyone's brains out then go to the border to shoot Mexicans."
ACTION UPDATE:
Derechos Humanos AZis holding a protest in downtown Tucson right now at the State Building and again later at 2 pm at Armory Park:
LET'S DO THIS BIG AGAIN! VETO SB 1070 STOP RACIAL PROFILING! STOP THE RAIDS!
Friday April 23, 2010
Meet at Armory Park at 2:00pm
We will march to downtown Federal Building at 3:00pm and rally!
* Why we're marching: Our community joins in opposition of Senate Bill 1070. Arizona senators passed a bill Monday April 12th that would require law enforcement officers to question anyone they might be in the country illegally. Anyone may be questioned if there is "reasonable suspicion" including appearance.
* What we're doing: We are demanding that Governor Jan Brewer VETO SB 1070 & take a stand against these hateful bills as a collected disturbed & troubled community.
*Please distribute widely. Bring water if you can. If
there is any way you can help please do.
I'm going to go to the afternoon protest, rain or shine, and will report back later this evening.
PDA Rally in Phoenix on Sunday
SUNDAY IN PHOENIX AT THE STATE CAPITOL
Rally with CONGRESSMAN LUIS GUTIERREZ!
Sunday, April 25th, from 12 PM to 2 PM
Arizona Capitol in Phoenix, AZ
1700 W. Washington St.
Phoenix, AZ 85007
Join us and Illinois Congressman Luis Gutierrez in PHOENIX on Sunday to either celebrate Governor Brewer's veto, or hear how Arizona and the nation will move forward in the face of this new law.
Damn. Jan Brewer is signing the bill. This is terrible. Fuck. Well, I'll be heading downtown in a few minutes to yell my heart out and to march in solidarity with other Arizonans who oppose what amounts to fascist legislation.
Please keep adding updates in the comments if you want.
Here's some photos I took of the protest downtown. I first ran into a group of high school students. They were late!! haha and then we all converged with the main group and headed down to the Federal building where much noise and energetic protesting ensued. I'll let the photos tell the story.