Hundreds of #WalmartStrikers protesting in Pico Rivera street getting arrested one by one, @ChristinaKTLA reports
Following a sit-down protest inside a Southern California Walmart, protesters Thursday evening took their call to organize without retaliation to the street.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department called an unlawful assembly around 6:40 p.m. when the protesters sat down in an intersection near the Pico Rivera store, Sgt. Rudy Ramos said. When the protesters failed to move out of the intersection, deputies arrested 23 people and transported them to the Pico Rivera sheriff's station.
The Walmart in Pico Rivera was the site of the first strike against the retailer in 2012 by OUR Walmart, a nonprofit group of employees supported by the United Food and Commercial Workers. The group is seeking full-time employment and a $15 minimum wage for Walmart workers.
A Walmart spokesman told BuzzFeed News on Thursday that the union-backed group does not represent the views of employees. He added the company has a strict anti-retaliation policy.
More protests are planned by the group around the country on Black Friday, typically the biggest retail day of the year.
"We have families to care for!" #walmartstrikers
#walmartstrikers won't back down until #walmart stops it's vicious bullying. We are worth more.
#Walmartstrikers hold sit-down strike, project live stream on Walmart. http://t.co/oQttDpeLPw