Mass mobilization for immigration rights in Placita Olvera spreads throughout East Los Angeles
By Erick Portillo
Photo provided by Erick Portillo. Group of protestors holding signs marching south on the 101 Freeway
On Feb. 2, 2025, thousands of protesters, mix of Latin descent and allies, took to the streets to peacefully protest the re-elected President Trump’s deportation policies, dehumanization of migrants and call for immigration reform. The protest was also in reaction to the executive orders signed by Trump to end DEI, eradicate sensitive spaces (churches, schools, hospitals, etc.), initiate ICE raids, open more detention centers and his attempt to strike down birthright citizenship.
When asked “What brings you here today?”, Los Angeles City College student Reyna Lopez (she/her) responds passionately, “I’m here to speak up for those who aren’t here, our ancestors, and to speak up on the ongoing injustice. Speak up for those who were here before this land was stolen.”
Photo provided by Erick Portillo. White sign in black lettering “White Racists (then switch to red lettering) GO BACK (then switch back to black lettering) to Europe!”
When discussing the impacts of Trump’s increased efforts to deport migrant communities, community member Pablo Monroe (he/him/él) vehemently exclaims, “Está afectando a una nueva generación!” mientras apunta con el dedo al bebé jugando. “¡Queremos una ley para las siguientes generaciones!” Which translates to: “It is affecting a new generation!”as he points at a baby playing. “We want a new law for future generations!” East Los Angeles College Student Jorge Rivas (he/him) is “disgusted to see ICE separate families.” He continues, “I’m from Boyle Heights. Since the mass deportations you can feel the tensity [sic] throughout the whole community. Especially with fruit vendors, I hate to see the people I see everyday feel this.”
As protesters shut down nearby freeway ramps, such as the Alameda St-Union Station exit, and police shut other exits further south and north, more and more people began moving to the underbridges of the 101 Freeway from both sides. Many continued to dance, play music, make noise to call attention, and chant << I.C.E., policía, la misma porquería>>, <<El pueblo unido jamás será vencido>>.
Photo provided by Erick Portillo. Crowd of protesters on 10 freeway, bridge and plaza by City Hall
Photo provided by Erick Portillo. “FUCK ICE” in red-orange lettering on the ground and graffitied mini lucha libre masks in blue and red saying “FUCK ICE”
Community member Ayleen Enriquez (she/her/ella) states that she hopes their impact convinces government officials to “leave them the fuck alone!” She adds, “We are not stealing from people. We’re not hurting nobody. I hope this pushes to create a pathway to citizenship.”
Another community member, Maria Monroe (she/her), shares a similar sentiment demanding:
“¡Que haya una reforma migratoria! Especialmente para los campesinos. No hay blancos que recogen las verduras y frutas durante las cosechas. Toda esa gente aporta y merece trabajar libre, y poder entrar y salir del país.”
Which translates to: “They must create migration reform! Especially for the farmworkers. There are no white people who pick the vegetables and fruits during harvest. All of those people contribute to our society and deserve to work freely and be able to enter and exit the country.”
The crowds of people were originally set to meet at 9 a.m. at Placita Olvera and then begin marching at 1 p.m. Participants were asked to wear a white shirt as a “declaration of peace,” according to the flyer posted by Instagram user @mrsemilypaints, as an homage to the 2006 HR 4437 protests. As the crowd grew by the second, many groups of protesters spread throughout the radius between Placita Olvera and Los Angeles City Hall. The roads were filled with protestors on foot and in their vehicles– some even brought their trucks filled with people in the open air trunk waving their signs. Passersby showed their support by honking their horns and shouting words of encouragement from their vehicles.
Photo provided by Erick Portillo. Young woman carrying an airbrushed sign saying “Fuck ICE,” wearing a top that says “I drink my horchata warm cause FUCK ICE.” Airbrush art by @echo_life_airbrush on Instagram
Protesters took different routes, and many ended up at the steps of City Hall, making their presence known and assuring their message gets delivered. The sight of bright diverse flags created a colorful display of unity transcending national borders and cultural rivalries. Although many nationalities are lumped together under the Latine identity, historically, Mexican-Central American relations have not been the best, and those rivalries continue to be projected here in the United States within the Latine community. Hence, it is extremely significant that these communities put their differences aside to confront the common issue of xenophobic policies and politicians.
Photo provided by Erick Portillo. Group of protestors convened at Placita Olvera
Alongside the protestors, street vendors were all around selling their products, even moving onto the freeways. In addition, there were many graffiti artists who began tagging the walls of the freeways with messages that read: “FUCK TRUMP,” “FUCK I.C.E.,” “VIVA LA RAZA,” “VIVA MÉXICO” and more.
Some community members rode their mini- motorcycles and began burning tires on the freeway in a car takeover style, representative of Latines’ active-participation in L.A. car culture. The protest primarily remained as a peaceful display of cultures, dissent and unity across Latin American communities in L.A. After a while, those on the freeways began marching south and were eventually told by law enforcement to exit the freeway. Which then led the protests towards the streets of East L.A. where some groups continued late into the night. While protesters marched south from the Alameda exit of the 101 Freeway, police officers in riot gear were deployed to confront the remaining peaceful protesters by the Alameda St-Union Station exit. As protestors went deeper in the East Los Angeles area, more officers blocked roads in an attempt to control the direction of the march.
Photo provided by Erick Portillo. Protesters taking over the exit by Alameda St.
While I was on the ground, I saw a majority of Mexican, Guatemalan and Salvadoran flags with a couple Peruvian flags waving in the air. However, it is important to acknowledge that this does not mean that protestors from other Latin American countries or ethnicities were not present to show their solidarity. Whatever their relationship to migration was, whether being an immigrant themselves, a family member, friend or child of a migrant(s), this was a peaceful, panethnic display of unity and defense of immigrants for their community, expressing gratitude for their contributions to our economy and communities.
