Events protesting Agriprocessors raid planned Sunday in Waterloo

Saturday, May 17, 2008 3:01 PM CDT
Events protesting Agriprocessors raid planned Sunday in Waterloo
WATERLOO --- Immigrant advocates and other leaders from across Iowa will partcipate in a "report to the nation" Sunday critical of the immigration raid Monday on Agriprocessors at Postville.

The report will be delivered at 1 p.m. Sunday at Queen of Peace Catholic Church, formerly St. Joseph Catholic Church, 320 Mulberry St. It will be followed by a march to the National Cattle Congress grounds, where the 389 detainees from the Postville raid were held last week. A vigil at the grounds is scheduled for 2:30 p.m.

The 1 p.m. report, organizers said, will follow a noon ecumenical prayer service at the church, which coincides with the normally scheduled noon Spanish Mass at the church.

Organizers said the march from Queen of Peace to the NCC grounds will include "families impacted by the raid, clergy and other community members."

"The raid has also torn apart countless families and had a negative impact on the entire community of Postville," organizers of Sunday's events said in a statement.