Workers rally on May Day around the world

Demonstrators took to the streets all over the country on this May Day armed with flags, signs and cries for change.

“We are the new face of America!” proclaimed one demonstrator in Los Angeles early Friday morning.

Here in the valley, protests were staged in Coachella, at the corner of Harrison St and Avenue 50, and at the Wal-Mart on Ramon Rd. in Palm Springs.

The immigrant advocacy group Comite Latino organized the one in Coachella to fight for immigration reform.

“They need to come out of the dark,” said Teresa Quintanar of Comite Latino. “They should be able to have the same rights we all have.”

Quintanar was born in Mexicali, and grew up in Indio. Her family immigrated from Mexico with her when she was only a few months old.

Quintanar has seen local families ripped apart because of deportation.

“We’re not talking about criminals, we’re talking about hardworking people who go out everyday, go to work and go home and put a roof over their kids heads, and food on the table,” she said.

“To take a family apart like that how can you possibly justify that,” said Steve Finger, who attended the Coachella rally on behalf of Occupy Coachella Valley.

The local May Day rallies also pushed for an increased minimum wage, from $9 to $15 an hour.

“They need to make money and they need to have fair wages,” Finger said.

Some rallies in cities like Oakland and Los Angeles, used May Day to fight for fair law enforcement practices.

In Seattle one of those marches turned violent when protestors clashed with police, prompting officers to deploy flash bangs and tear gas.

The peaceful protests in our valley were a far cry from the turnout nationally, but local organizers say many valley workers are with them in spirit.

“They don’t have enough time or wages to come out here and support,” Finger said. “But we know in their hearts they’re with it.”