Rhode Islanders rally in defense of our Southeast Asian Communities
"The Southeast Asian community in Rhode Island has been fighting against our deportation for nearly 25 years, and we will not stop until all of our communities are free!"
From a press release:
Over one hundred people marched in the rain to fight back against racist ICE terror and the detention and deportation of Southeast Asian community members. The community rally and march began and ended at Wat Thorikaram Buddhist Temple in Providence.
Here’s the video:
Since Trump’s inauguration, Southeast Asian communities have seen an escalation of racist ICE terror. The detention and deportation of Southeast Asian people is a continuation of United States imperialism in Cambodia, Vietnam, and Laos. We demand an end to the terrorization of our Khmer, Brao, Lao, Hmong, and Vietnamese communities and will unite and stand up against deportation threats to our children, siblings, parents, and loved ones.
On the 50th anniversary of the American War in Southeast Asia and the defeat of the United States empire, the people of Providence rallied and defended each other. As survivors of genocide and imperialist war, we recognize the interconnectedness of our struggle with the struggles of the Palestinian, Arab, and Latin American peoples.
We recognize that American capitalists like Donald Trump and Elon Musk engineer violence at home and abroad in order to gorge the United States economy on stolen resources and exploited migrant labor. We refuse to be used as pawns in this cruel game. We remain in solidarity with resistance movements against United States imperialism everywhere because we have no need for an empire built upon our backs. The Southeast Asian community in Rhode Island has been fighting against our deportation for nearly 25 years, and we will not stop until all of our communities are free!
The rally and march were organized by PrYSM (Providence Youth Student Movement), ARISE (Alliance of Rhode Island Southeast Asians for Education), Cambodian Society of Rhode Island, PSL (Party for Socialism and Liberation), ONA (Olneyville Neighborhood Association), and AMOR (Alliance to Mobilize Our Resistance).
As an Indian American, I am extremely aware of how quickly my own citizenship will be called into question simply by my appearance, even though I am born and raised in this country. I also noticed how no Republican stood against hate speech or crimes against any person of color or background. These people are cowards.
Totally agree re Rupublicans! This issue, along with many others, do not fall along party lines. They are issues that are affecting all Rhode Islanders, along with many others. Everyone should be concerned, and speak out against all the attacks on our rights.