“Are you here to get arrested?” came the question, asked of everyone who showed up September 28 at a large labor protest near LAX. Those who approached the barricades at Vicksburg Avenue intending to be arrested – in what was billed as one of the largest acts of civil disobedience in Los Angeles history – were organized into groups, given signs denoting which hotels they were protesting, and then given red armbands, signifying that they were to be detained.

Outside the Radisson Hotel on Century Boulevard, thousands showed up at a rally to listen to the music of Ben Harper and others, and then to take part in a 20-block march down the so-called “Century corridor” that had eve-ning traffic backed up for hours.

The march and subsequent civil disobedience was to call attention to what organizers say is the abuse of immigrant workers toiling in the hotels that line Century Blvd. near LAX. They point to U.S. Census statistics that show Latino immigrant workers earn a median salary of $18,000 a year, almost half of whom are without health insurance, with one out of every four immigrant families in Los Angeles living below the federal poverty line. The situation in the Century hotels, say organizers, is particularly egregious, as workers there generally have no health insurance, are forced to stay overtime with no extra pay, and earn low wages.

The protest was unique in that it had been planned well in advance with the cooperation of the Los Angeles Police Department. The plan called for a sit-in by protesters in the middle of Century Blvd. once their permit for marching had expired at 6:30 p.m. The LAPD was given names of those to be arrested in advance, and protest organizers helped work out how to most peacefully arrest those sitting in the street.

Many of the hotel workers themselves were present during the march, but few, if any, planned to be arrested because they feared losing their jobs. Neither the Hilton LAX nor the Westin hotels returned calls to CityBeat to say whether or not such actions would be taken.

The hundreds that were arrested included clergy from local churches, family and friends of hotel workers, celebrities – including Audioslave guitarist Tom Morello – and L.A.-area politicians such as state Senator Gil Cedillo. Students from USC, UCLA, Loyola, Scripps, and Claremont McKenna were present in large numbers, and most were arrested. One student, Emma Lowry from Scripps College, who heard about the protest in a class, said she was there to be arrested for the first time in her life because showing this kind of support, “is unlike anything I’ve ever done so far in my life. This is epic.”

She emphasized that she did not know anyone working in the specific hotels along the corridor, but that the fight was “part of something bigger … it’s more than just these [workers] in these hotels. [Immigrant] workers everywhere need more,” she said.

As the march came to an end in front of the Westin Hotel, those with the red armbands came forward into the street and sat down, grasping hands. The others looked on from the sidewalks on either side of the street. It became clear just how scripted this disobedience was when the police told the crowd and the press, “If you’re not here to get arrested, back up onto the sidewalk, please.” Dozens of mounted police lined up right along the curb of the street, effectively cutting off the onlookers. A perimeter of police then surrounded the arrestees, followed by the arrival of five LAPD buses. Tables and chairs were set up, zip ties were put around the protesters’ wrists, and they were led rather cordially into the bus where they were cheered on by the assembled throng.

Pastor David Farley, of Echo Park United Methodist Church, said of his arrest, “It is part of my pastoral duty. This is a way to put my faith into action. No one should have to live in the conditions these [workers] live in.”

Angry motorists, blocked by barricades up and down Century Blvd., questioned the motives of the marchers. “If they’re trying to get me on their side, this is not the way to do it,” said Becky Robbins of Los Angeles, who was blocked in by the march at Century and Airport boulevards.

Other onlookers seemed more sympathetic. Narbeh Issagholian of Glendale watched the thousands marching down the street chanting things like, “Si Se Puede,” “They say go away, we say no way,” and “We will overcome,” and said he supported the idea of peaceful demonstration. “If no one’s listening to what they have to say – and I don’t think they are – then they should do something like this,” Issagholian said. “I hope this makes some kind of difference.”

As for himself, Issagholian didn’t think he had a role to play. “I wish I could do something, but what? These are major corporations.” He paused for a moment, considering what he had said. He was watching from the lawn of the Hilton, and was staying there for business. After a short pause, he conceded, with a laugh, “I guess I could not stay here.”