East L.A. Residents Protest Proposed Jail
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More than 400 East Los Angeles residents--shouting “No Jail!”--paraded along a quarter-mile stretch of East Olympic Boulevard on Monday evening, protesting the proposed construction of a 1,700-bed medium-security prison in their community.
“This area is a political dumping ground for unfavorable projects,” said Assemblywoman Gloria Molina (D-Los Angeles) who marched with the Mothers of East Los Angeles, organizers of the candlelight event.
March organizers said they will continue marching on succeeding Mondays and are making plans to charter buses to lobby in Sacramento when the prison bill comes before the state Senate in August.
Among the placards Monday night were several reading: “No Polanco Prison,” in reference to Assemblyman Richard Polanco (D-Los Angeles) who cast the deciding vote to release the prison bill from an Assembly committee.
“I’m absolutely outraged by Polanco’s vote,” said Lilia Aguero, 23, a lifelong resident of the area.
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