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Community Groups, Latinos Protest Clinton Visits in LA

The Democratic presidential candidate has faced two separate protests in Los Angeles where she has been denounced as a "war criminal" with blood on her hands, whose actions led to the current crisis affecting Central American refugees, particularly from Honduras.

Besides naming her hawkish record, the event organizers stressed that she called for the deportation of unaccompanied refugee children back to Central America when she was Secretary of State and could easily do the same as president.

In particular, Latino organizations have called Clinton out on her involvement in the 2009 coup in Honduras that has caused an increase in human rights abuses, including the murder of environmental activist Berta Caceres, leading thousands of Hondurans to flee their country.

In a statement, organizers said, "As Secretary of State, Clinton played a major role in destabilizing countries in Central America, such as the U.S. sponsored coup d'etat in Honduras in 2009, generating crisis and violence in that country leading to  mass migration of children. Other Central Americans are also migrating to the U.S. due to state-sponsored violence and corruption. In 2014, Clinton  supported the deportations of unaccompanied Central American minors arriving at the border as a way to deter further migration, ignoring the structural violence they were fleeing and that she helped create."

While their message largley focused on youth, the organizers made sure to not draw a distinction between "good" and "bad" immigrants, urging protesters to show up with the flag of their movements' home countries rather than the U.S. flag.

Protest organizers noted, "Although some of the people in attendance will undoubtedly be Bernie Sanders supporters, the majority of the organizers are non-partisan."

Members of the LA-based Human Rights Alliance for Child Refugees and Families include the Immigrant Youth Coalition, Familia: Trans Queer Liberation Movement, Union del Barrio, Homies Unidos, Central American Youth Council, May Day Trans Queer Contingent, and CISPES-Los Angeles.

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Protesters at Hillary Clinton's East Los Angeles College visit bring attention to the policies of the Bill Clinton administration, as well as those policies upheld by Hillary Clinton in her role as the Secretary of State during the Obama administration, May 5, 2016.
Protesters at Hillary Clinton's East Los Angeles College visit bring attention to the policies of the Bill Clinton administration, as well as those policies upheld by Hillary Clinton in her role as the Secretary of State during the Obama administration, May 5, 2016. Photo:Gonzalo Rios Castro
Protesters at East Los Angeles College hold up the Mexican flag, May 5, 2016.
Protesters at East Los Angeles College hold up the Mexican flag, May 5, 2016. Photo:Gonzalo Rios Castro
Members of Union del Barrio march under the banners of various Latin American countries at East Los Angeles College, May 5, 2016.
Members of Union del Barrio march under the banners of various Latin American countries at East Los Angeles College, May 5, 2016. Photo:Gonzalo Rios Castro
Protesters at East Los Angeles College hold up a sign with lyrics from the Mellow Man Ace song,
Protesters at East Los Angeles College hold up a sign with lyrics from the Mellow Man Ace song, "Mentirosa," in reference to Hillary Clinton, May 5, 2016. Photo:Gonzalo Rios Castro
Protesters at East Los Angeles College hold signs depicting the Clintons socializing with presumptive Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, May 5, 2016
Protesters at East Los Angeles College hold signs depicting the Clintons socializing with presumptive Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, May 5, 2016 Photo:Gonzalo Rios Castro
Protesters at East Los Angeles College hold up a sign with lyrics from the Mellow Man Ace song,
Protesters at East Los Angeles College hold up a sign with lyrics from the Mellow Man Ace song, "Mentirosa," in reference to Hillary Clinton, May 5, 2016. Photo:Gonzalo Rios Castro
Los Angeles residents protest Hillary Clinton's visit to East Los Angeles College, May 5, 2016.
Los Angeles residents protest Hillary Clinton's visit to East Los Angeles College, May 5, 2016. Photo:Gonzalo Rios Castro
Event organizers estimated attendance at the anti-Hillary event to number in the hundreds, May 5, 2016.
Event organizers estimated attendance at the anti-Hillary event to number in the hundreds, May 5, 2016. Photo:Gonzalo Rios Castro
Organizers also demanded that the Obama administration
Organizers also demanded that the Obama administration "Release all refugees in detention centers across the country, prioritizing women, children, and transgender women and other LGBTIQ migrants." Photo:Gonzalo Rios Castro
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department personnel guard the May 5, 2016 protest at East LA College.
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department personnel guard the May 5, 2016 protest at East LA College. Photo:Gonzalo Rios Castro
Youth march under the banners of various Latin American countries at East Los Angeles College, May 5, 2016.
Youth march under the banners of various Latin American countries at East Los Angeles College, May 5, 2016. Photo:Gonzalo Rios Castro
An officer of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department shoves a protester aside at the May 5, 2016 protest at East LA College.
An officer of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department shoves a protester aside at the May 5, 2016 protest at East LA College. Photo:Gonzalo Rios Castro
Hillary Clinton returned to Los Angeles on May 23, 2016, and was greeted by the same organizers.
Hillary Clinton returned to Los Angeles on May 23, 2016, and was greeted by the same organizers. Photo:Gonzalo Rios Castro
Protesters called on the Obama administration to
Protesters called on the Obama administration to "end warehousing asylum-seekers, including children as young as infant age, in ice boxes, often called 'hieleras,' before transferring them to detention centers." Photo:Gonzalo Rios Castro
“ICE raids and terror in our communities (are) unacceptable and brutal,” said Nancy Zuniga, coordinator of the Human Right Alliance for Child Refugees and Families.
“ICE raids and terror in our communities (are) unacceptable and brutal,” said Nancy Zuniga, coordinator of the Human Right Alliance for Child Refugees and Families. Photo:Gonzalo Rios Castro
John Parker, Workers World Party candidate for U.S. Senate, addresses protesters on May 23, 2016.
John Parker, Workers World Party candidate for U.S. Senate, addresses protesters on May 23, 2016. Photo:Gonzalo Rios Castro
Protest organizers also demanded that the Obama administration
Protest organizers also demanded that the Obama administration "halt all repressive policies that punish and harm Central Americans, including, but not limited to, Plan Frontera Sur, which funds the detention and deportation of asylum seekers at the Mexico-Guatemala border without due process, and the border enforcement requirement of the Alliance for Prosperity, which seeks to further expand border militarization in Central America." Photo:Gonzalo Rios Castro
Published 24 May 2016
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