On Jan. 22, students, teachers and other workers came together and
raised their voices in a march as part of a month-long series of events known
as “Enero Zapatista”—a commemoration of the Ejercito Zapatista de Liberacion Nacional
uprising 17 years ago this January in Chiapas, Mexico.
The march was organized by Colectivo Zapatista, a coalition in San
Diego made up of various progressive organizations. The Party for Socialism and
Liberation joined to support the struggle of the working class in the border
community of San Ysidro, Calif.
The march showed multinational solidarity with militant Filipino
organizations, with AF3IRM and KmB Pro-People Youth participating as well.
Coalition demands included free health care, free quality education, an end to
the U.S. occupation of the Middle East, and an end to police brutality and
racial profiling. Many college students from area schools came out in
solidarity and expressed support of the working-class demands of the march.
More people cross the San Diego-Mexico border crossing than any other
border crossing in the world. Many of the pedestrians and drivers showed their
support for the march by honking their horns and cheering. When the march
stopped at the top of a bridge, hundreds of drivers waiting to cross into
Mexico honked their horns to show their support.
The March for the Liberation of the People was a wake-up call for the
community, calling for organization among the working class. This is only the
beginning of a year that will be filled with a political fight-back movement.
The PSL stands ready to take part in this growing movement. It’s time to take a
stand against the ruling class and say “Ya Basta!”
