More than five decades ago, tens of thousands marched in the Chicano Moratorium in East Los Angeles, holding signs of protest against the Vietnam War and the disproportionate numbers of Chicanos who were killed. The march ended violently with police in riot gear attacking the protestors. LA Times reporter Ruben Salazar was killed by a police projectile.
This weekend, activists will commemorate the 55th anniversary of the historic event with a march and rally to draw attention to the most recent issues impacting the Chicano/Latino community. Immigration raids and deportations are the most pressing concerns.
The 55th Chicano Moratorium will take place on Saturday, Aug. 30, with a march along Whittier Boulevard followed by a rally.
“[This] is a very historic day for a lot of us who are proud Chicanos,” said organizer Marisol Marquez at a press conference announcing the commemoration. Marquez is a member of the nonprofit Centro CSO, formerly known as the Community Service Organization, which has supported and been one of the organizers of the moratorium since its inception.
The historic march on Aug. 29, 1970, drew more than 20,000 participants protesting the disproportionate number of Chicano soldiers dying in the Vietnam War. While Chicanos/Latinos made up about 10% of the population at the time, estimates indicate that Chicano soldiers accounted for nearly 20% of the troops killed in that war. The Chicano Moratorium coincided with nationwide protests to end the war in Vietnam. Public opposition grew, and the United States withdrew troops from Vietnam three years later.
This year, the Chicano Moratorium is calling for the end of the raids that have “illegally snatched” people from their homes, workplaces and sidewalks.
“We’re going to be demanding ICE out of LA,” said Marquez. She added that the Trump Administration “is hell-bent on trying to attack, raid and kidnap our undocumented families and our undocumented communities.”
Marquez also said that the march will highlight the defense of public education and the fight against police brutality.
The moratorium will also call for the end of the famine and genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. Speaker Beña Martínez of About Face: Veterans Against War stated that Chicano activists have a history of opposing all unfair wars in the world. He said that includes the Israeli military invasion of the Palestinian territories.
More than 62,000 Palestinians have died in Gaza over the last two years alone, and more than 156,000 have been wounded. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to turn Gaza into a parking lot after the Hamas attack of Oct. 7, 2023, that killed 1,200 people and resulted in about 250 Israeli hostages.
Alejandro Orellana also called upon Chicanos and Latino immigrants from Mexico, Central and South America to stand together in the 55th Chicano Moratorium this weekend.
“We all have to come out,” he said. “This is for all of us.”
The 55th Chicano Moratorium will begin at 3 p.m. next to the Sounds of Music store, march down Whittier Boulevard and conclude at Salazar Park, where the rally is scheduled to start around 4:30 p.m.