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Hundreds March In Support Of Immigrant Rights, $15 Minimum Wage

Hundreds of people marched from Seattle's Judkins Park to Westlake Park in support of immigrant rights and a $15 minimum wage as part of the annual May Day rally.

Police officers on bicycles and horses rode alongside the marchers, who chanted in unison, "Move, ICE! Get out the way!" and "Si, se puede!" Some held signs that read “stop deportations and 15 now!” in Spanish in support of a $15 minimum wage. 

Credit Kyle Stokes

Among those gathered was MicaelaCoronel, a senior at Highline High School. Coronel and some 40 of her classmates say they decided to march in support of immigrant rights after seeing families torn apart by deportation.

But Coronel says she also supports a $15 minimum wage for working-class families like her own.

“My family is like super-struggling. They actually, at one point, had like five jobs in between the both of them, because they couldn’t support (us),” she said. “I’m going to college this September, and they tried to get me a car so I can go back and see them. And then it got repossessed because we couldn’t afford to pay for it.”

The Rev. Alfredo Feregrino, who conducts services in both Spanish and English at St Paul's Episcopal Church and Our Lady of Guadalupe Episcopal Church, says he chose to march in support of immigrants.

“Some people don’t want immigrants. Some people don’t want diversity. Some people don’t want different kinds of people. So I think it’s important to march and demonstrate," he said. “If you don’t say anything, no one’s going to hear you."

Credit Tim Durkan

Jay Herzmark, who is unemployed, came dressed as Lady Liberty.

The march, which began at 3 p.m., ended shortly after 5 p.m. 

King County Metro Transit and Sound Transit both revised a number of routes to accommodate the marchers.  

Unpermitted marches by anti-capitalist groups are expected to begin at Seattle Central Community College and the Juvenile Detention Center around 6 p.m. 

Kyle Stokes covers the issues facing kids and the policies impacting Washington's schools for KPLU.