Protesters Make Their Pitch at Dodger Stadium

Hundreds gathered outside the stadium during Monday's game, the first in a three-game series against Arizona

The Diamondbacks are in town, and that means protests.

Protests against Arizona's illegal-immigration law are planned for outside Dodger Stadium during the Arizona team's visit. The protests include a reiteration of a previous demand that the Los Angeles Dodgers move their spring training base from the state.

The Boycott Arizona Los Angeles Committee is also calling for the Dodgers to oppose SB 1070 and for a boycott of games between the Arizona Diamondbacks and Dodgers because of campaign contributions by Diamondbacks managing general partner Ken Kendrick and his family to supporters of the law.

"The Dodgers have the largest Latino fan base in the league," Mike Garcia, president of United Service Workers West, told the LA Times. "We have historically supported them since their move here in 1958. Now we're asking them to take a stand for us -- take a stand against this mean-spirited bill."

Protestors will also continue the call for Major League Baseball to shift the 2011 All-Star Game from Phoenix. When asked about the demand at a news conference following an owners meeting May 13, Commissioner Bud Selig ignored the question, instead discussing praise for baseball's minority hiring record.

After Major League Baseball Players Association Executive Director Michael Weiner announced the union's opposition to the law April 30, Kendrick said the Diamondbacks "share the same concerns of the impact Arizona's immigration law will have on major league players."

"However, we believe the federal government should act swiftly to address the immigration issue once and for all," Kendrick said. "We certainly are well aware of the struggles our state has due to federal inaction on illegal immigration."

The law, which goes into effect July 29, empowers local law enforcement to check the immigration status of suspects they have stopped for other reasons if there is a reasonable suspicion they are in the country illegally. It specifically bars police from racial profiling.
 

Copyright CNS - City News Service
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