Photograph also used in article dated September 9, 1981.; Title supplied by cataloger. Photograph caption dated September 10, 1981 reads, "A group of church women protesting deportation of Salvadoran refugees are arrested by Los Angeles police after blocking the driveway to the Federal Building in downtown L.A. Eleven women, including five Roman Catholic nuns and one Episcopal deacon, were among those arrested yesterday. 'They're sending these people to their death and we're willing to put our bodies on the line. It means that much to us,' Sister Paulita Bernuy said at the demonstration. As the women formed a line across the driveway, U.S. Postal Service vans and other government vehicles queued up behind them. Vans used to deport the refugees leave from that driveway and the women refused to let anyone through. The women were handcuffed and taken away in a police van for violating a federal statute prohibiting anyone from impending the progress of mail carriers, officer A. Fragoso said. 'The police were very, very gentle and sort of pushed them (out of the driveway) to the sidewalk and tried not to knock anyone over,' said Melissa Lebo, a spokeswoman for the protesters. 'Then the women walked back across the driveway so they were handcuffed. For most of these women it was the first time they have ever been arrested. They were very scared and very thoughtful about taking this sort of action.' Lebo said the goal of the action was to stop the deportations and to request that the refugees be offered extended voluntary departure status. A statement issued at the demonstration condemned the deportation of Salvadoran refugees as 'no less insidious or unconscionable than the deportation of European Jews in the 1940s.'
Type
image
Format
1 photographic print :b&w ;25 x 35 cm. on sheet 29 x 36 cm. Photographic prints
Los Angeles (Calif.).--Police Department Federal Building (Los Angeles, Calif. : 1964-) Demonstrations--California--Los Angeles Protest movements--California--Los Angeles Women--California--Los Angeles Police--California--Los Angeles Arrest--California--Los Angeles Downtown Los Angeles (Los Angeles, Calif.) Los Angeles Herald-Examiner photographs Herald-Examiner Collection photographs
If you're wondering about permissions and what you can do with this item, a good starting point is the "rights information" on this page. See our terms of use for more tips.
Share your story
Has Calisphere helped you advance your research, complete a project, or find something meaningful? We'd love to hear about it; please send us a message.
