At a news conference in the Westlake District on Tuesday, activists said the message for this year's protest included a boycott that encouraged participants to stay home from work, stay home from school and avoid shopping on Friday.
"On May 1st, this Friday, we march -- documented and undocumented, native-born and foreign-born, workers, students, families," A.J. Holman, of the California Immigrant Policy Center, said during remarks from the podium. "We will fill these streets because collective action is our power, and the people, united, will not be ignored."
This year's theme, "Sole El Pueblo Shuts it Down: No Work, No School, No Shopping," marks the 20th anniversary of "La Gran Marcha" in 2006 -- touted as one of the largest public demonstrations in U.S. history, which took place in LA..
"May Day historically has been International Workers Day," said Leslie Chang of the L.A. chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America. "This year in particular, we are really emphasizing the point that immigrants have also been part of the workers movement for a long time. None of this would be possible without immigrants. So this is really about, emphasizing both unions and immigrants together as one fight."
LAUSD students walk out of school to protest ongoing immigration raids
Hundreds of LAUSD students walk out of class to protest against immigration raids
Friday's protest is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. at MacArthur Park in the Westlake District.