San Diego ? Thousands of students protesting tough immigration bills being debated in Congress marched Friday in California, Texas, Nevada and other states. Most demonstrations were peaceful, but there was a stabbing during a protest in Virginia.

The demonstrations coincided with the 79th anniversary of the birth of the late Cesar Chavez, the co-founder of the United Farm Workers union who became a champion of poor, Hispanic agricultural workers in the 1960s and ’70s.

Students waved Mexican flags and signs saying “We are not criminals” as they demonstrated in San Diego’s Chicano Park.

Students distributed leaflets explaining a provision of a bill approved in the House that calls for a sweeping crackdown on illegal immigration.