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Live-Blogging from Arizona Anti-Arpaio March: Pictures, Stories and More

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marchToday I’m proud to team up with Sarahi Uribe from the National Day Laborer Organizing Network (NDLON) and Adam Luna from America’s Voice, as well as our many blog-migos in the twitter-verse, to chronicle the massive anti-Arpaio march and rally happening right now in Phoenix, Arizona!

Expect updates every 15 minutes or so (displayed in Phoenix time), and leave us some comment-love. For background on Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s abuses in Arizona, click here. To donate water and help cover the costs of today’s major demonstration, please click here (NDLON donation page).

3:45 PM: Here’s the slideshow of today’s event:

3:15 PM: Our live-blogging is drawing to a close. Before we shut things down for today, I’ll post a slideshow of the march. We’ll have more stories throughout the week, so stay tuned!

3:08 PM: March and concert wrap up, with closing words from Dolores Huerta: “Si se puede! We can achieve immigration reform and stop the incarceration of our families.”

2:53: PM: From ABC15.com, this little insight: “And to counter noise from the protest, Tent City officials planned to play music over the jail’s announcement system.”

2:47 PM: Just realized we didn’t see any counter-protesters today! Overall mood: good, but a little hungry and tired. People are breaking out the ice cream, listening to the music on stage. [Adam /America’s Voice]

2:40 PM: Coming up… slideshow of march.

2:32 PM: From Chris Newman, head of NDLON, one organizer of the march (in response to pepper spray incident): “All we know at this point is that 4 people were arrested.  Unclear whether or not the minutemen planted people at the march.”

2:20 PM: Little Joe is on stage. Moment of silence for Haiti. [Sarahi /NDLON]

2:05 PM: Pepper spray was isolated incident, crowd peacefully protesting here in front of Sheriff Joe’s jail.  Families, drums, celebratory. [Adam /America’s Voice]

1:45 PM: Via DawnTeo on Twitter: “Arpaio march: 6 protesters reporting tear gas or pepper spray (probably the latter); @layalzebulb says maybe tasers; 1 arrested.”

1:42 PM: Crowd is pumped up and smiling, people chanting, “Oye, Obama – donde esta le reforma?” In English: “Hey, Obama– where’s the Reform?” [Adam /America’s Voice]

1:30 PM: First pictures of security surrounding tent city — intense. Peaceful protest.

1:20 PM: Arriving at tent city…crowd keeps growing! [Sarahi/NDLON] See security surrounding tent city.

1:15 PM: Many marchers are posting photos and video on twitter. Check out these images from Jose602. The first is of protesters painted as “illegal aliens” (in protest of the term), and the second is a truck that’s carrying water for the marchers, which has been painted with the words: “Justice takes time, but always comes.”

12:43 PM: More images coming in from the 3-mile march to Tent City. One man caries a sign that reads, in Spanish, “Obama, Where is the Reform?”:

Here’s a closeup on that.

Also, watch Spanish-language interviews from Telemundo on MSN Latino. Guest-blogger Sarahi Uribe is interviewed in Spanish and argues that what is happening in Arizona has to be addressed by DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano and President Obama directly with federal immigration reform that does not allow more Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s to flourish.

12:28 PM: From the twitter-verse:

@JavierSoto3TV: http://twitpic.com/yd3d9 – Pictures from the protest; http://twitpic.com/ycxz8 – Police presence @ a premium for the Anti-Arpio protest

@willcoley: Arpaio watches over the marchers in Phoenix with a helicopter & video cameras. We aint stopping! #immigration #azhumanrights #dwn #fb

@NAKASEC: hey not sure what the big deal is with #arpaio? read pulitzer prize:… http://bit.ly/7SdG0r

12:02 PM: About 5,000 people begin march. [Adam/America’s Voice]. Conservative estimate? 10,000. [Sarahi/NDLON]

Arpaio march Check out who’s carrying the banner, at right. It’s Zack de la Rocha from Rage Against the Machine, who Lemons interviews:

De la Rocha talked of his support for organizations such as Tonatierra/Macehualli, the human rights group Puente, and the National Day Laborer Organizing Network:

“When you hear about the conditions in the [jails], when you hear about these so called crime sweeps in which the undocumented and documented alike are being pulled over and threatened and intimidated incessantly…I believe that these organizations are becoming the conscience of the country with regard to immigration rights, in regards to workers rights all over the country. That’s why I’m here to support them.”

12:00 PM: Check out more background on the march from Stephen Piggott at Imagine2050.net:

There is a tremendous sense of fear, anticipation, and excitement in the air. The good folks at Puente, AZ who have organized the march remain incredibly calm as 10 am approaches, the time the march is due to start. 

11:45 AM: Linda Rondstadt: “Joe Arpaio only builds divisiveness. It’s time for him to go.” [Sarahi/NDLON]

More background on today’s march from Stephen Lemons at the Phoenix New Times, who’s been covering the saga of Sheriff Joe Arpaio in Maricopa County for years. Lemons quotes musician Rondstadt in a piece this morning:

Ronstadt spoke as a native daughter of Arizona:

“I’m here because I’m an Arizonan. I was born in Arizona. My father was born in Arizona. My grandmother was born in Arizona. I love Arizona, and Sheriff Arpaio is bad for Arizona. He’s making Arizona look bad because he’s profiling and he’s applying the law in an uneven and unjust way, and that weakens the law for all of us.”

11:35 AM: Tom Saenz, president of MALDEF, says: “Joe Arpaio you might have the badge, but we have history on our side. You might have the badge, but we have justice on our side. You might have the badge, but we have the constitution on our side. You might have the badge, but we have the power of the people. [Sarahi/NDLON]

11:34 AM: A couple updates from the twitter-verse– no firm number yet on the number of protesters, lots of great art, and famous musician Linda Rondstadt  expressing her support.

Huerta and Reza

@DawnTeo: Mixed reports on number of Arpaio protesters today. Estimates range from hundreds (@arizonarepublic) to 20k (@_jedition_) #arpaio #p2 #tcot

@WillColey: Lots of great Arpaio paper mâché heads at the march in Phoenix! Pics soon! #azhumanrights #immigration #fb

@inaudwetrust: Linda Rondstant showing support at the anti arpaio march http://twitpic.com/yctpc

Here’s a photo of renowned civil rights advocate Dolores Huerta and long-time Arizona community organizer Salvador Reza, kicking off today’s event:

10:49 AM: Dolores Huerta is firing up the crowd. Great to see folks from LA, Miami, Chicago, El Paso, Denver… from all over! Good to see so many families. [Sarahi/NDLON]

Here’s a picture of the crowd getting started:

Marchers