LA Chicanos demand ‘Hands off Syria!’

Los Angeles, CA – After the Tomahawk missile attack on Syria, Chicanos and anti-war activists joined together in in Boyle Heights April 15 to demand “U.S. hands off Syria!”

Luis Sifuentes a Chicano public school driver, and member of Centro Community Service Organization (Centro CSO) said, “We organized today’s protest to demand we invest in public education, not in useless wars.”

Joined by Eastside Greens, Union of Progressive Iranians, Morena of San Bernardino, and Freedom Road Socialist Organization, 30 people gathered at the very busy intersection of Soto and Chavez Boulevards in Boyle Heights. The angry crowd chanted, “Money for jobs and education, not for war and occupation,” and “Hands off Syria!”

Irena Varjabedian, an Armenian immigrant and member of Union of Progressive Iranians said, “The U.S. either directly funds or supplies rebel groups in places like Syria, and then bombs Syria with the excuse that it’s against these very groups! No more! I am standing here with all of you to demand the bombings stop now, no more wars!”

Various cars drove by honking in solidarity, many high-fived activists, and even joined in the chanting.

Sol Marquez, a Chicana member of FRSO said, “We unite today knowing U.S. war does nothing for the working class. Trump is reigning terror on Syria, Afghanistan, Somalia, and is now threatening to do the same to north Korea. These nations have a right to self-determination much like we Chicanos do here in Aztlan. Stop the bloodshed, stop the bombings, stop the missiles!”

Centro CSO is working to make sure that the energy against wars and occupation to continues. On May 1, starting at 3 p.m., community members will assemble at the intersection of Chavez and Evergreen to march against Trump, Bracero programs, the U.S./Mexico border, deportations, Chicanos murdered by the LAPD, and against wars and occupations.

Information on the planning meeting for May Day can be found here: http://www.facebook.com/events/177280322791591/