Almost 100 folks had only one merchandise on their checklist as they entered the House Depot in Monrovia on Saturday: a small ice scraper value rather less than a greenback.
They received again in line solely minutes later to return the merchandise. The motion, often known as a buy-in, was half of a bigger demonstration on the House Depot to strain the corporate to “scrape ICE out of their shops,” mentioned Erika Andiola, political director for the Nationwide Day Laborer Organizing Community, which coordinated the occasion.
Demonstrators flocked to the placement, some carrying makeshift aprons, much like these worn by House Depot workers, with the phrase “ICE out of House Depot.” Others used the orange House Depot buckets as drums as they marched via the shop.
“Whether or not the company desires to confess it or not, House Depot has develop into floor zero for this merciless, vicious immigration enforcement that’s going down in our nation,” mentioned Pablo Alvarado, NDLON’s co-executive director.
Crosses and pictures of people that died because of ICE raids this yr are posted at a protest occasion hosted by the Nationwide Day Laborer Organizing Community on Saturday in Monrovia.
(Jonathan Alcorn / For The Occasions)
George Lane, supervisor of company communications for House Depot, mentioned in an electronic mail to The Occasions that “we aren’t coordinating with ICE or Border Patrol, and we’re not concerned within the operations. We aren’t notified that immigration enforcement actions are going to occur, and infrequently, we don’t know operations have taken place till they’re over.
“We’re required to comply with all federal and native guidelines and rules in each market the place we function.”
House Depot workers didn’t intrude with the protesters and finally closed off one of many retailer’s entrances. Organizers blocked off car entry to the entrance of the shop throughout a information convention that adopted the march.
S.J. Denning volunteers with East Pasadena Neighborhood Protection Nook, a gaggle that runs patrols for ICE exercise within the space, and hoped that Saturday’s demonstration would “create a bit of mischief” and enhance consciousness.
“It’s not OK to kidnap our neighbors off the streets,” mentioned Denning. “This can be a ethical second, and we must always meet it with braveness, all of us.”
The efforts have been partially a response to the demise of Carlos Roberto Montoya Valdez, an immigrant day laborer who was struck and killed by an SUV in Monrovia after working onto the 210 Freeway whereas fleeing from immigration brokers in mid-August.
The Division of Homeland Safety beforehand advised The Occasions that Montoya Valdez “was not being pursued by any DHS legislation enforcement.”
Montoya Valdez’s demise was “destabilizing for your entire group,” mentioned Michael Ocon, a board member for the Monrovia Unified College District.
“This situation impacts each single individual that calls this area dwelling,” he mentioned.
The buy-in’s goal was to quickly stall the shop’s operation and present the monetary contribution that day laborers make to the corporate — with out staging a boycott, which Andiola mentioned the group doesn’t need.
“Day laborers do need folks to return out to buy to allow them to get work,” Andiola mentioned. “This was the best way for us to nonetheless impression their enterprise and on the identical time, give the message that they should get ICE out of their shops.”
Cheri (proper, gave first identify solely) attends a protest occasion hosted by The Nationwide Day Labor Organizing Community at House Depot on November 22 in Monrovia, California. The protest is an try and strain House Depot to sentence the ICE raids taking place exterior of their shops and prohibit ICE from finishing up raids there, amongst others.
(Jonathan Alcorn / For The Occasions)
For many years, House Depot parking heaps have functioned as workplaces for day laborers, a lot of whom are immigrants and present up each morning searching for work. These identical heaps have develop into key targets for immigration enforcement.
Within the car parking zone and throughout the road, subsequent to the 210 freeway, NDLON members arrange two altars, every with 24 white crosses, representing individuals who have died this yr both throughout immigration raids or whereas detained, together with Montoya Valdez.
A few dozen clergy from Pasadena and Altadena attended the demonstration, together with Pastor Mayra Macedo-Nolan.
“Our group was already devastated by the Eaton fireplace,” Macedo-Nolan mentioned. “The rebuild of our group is not going to occur with out the labor of employees, and that is the place they arrive to search for work.”
