Guy Sides of Evansville is holding a small photograph of 5-year-old Liam Conejo, who was taken by Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and sent to Texas. It's the main reason he’s here in the cold winter weather to protest ICE, especially in Minnesota.
“The people in this country need to show up for the people of Minnesota,” he said.
“I've been showing up for the people that are being harassed right now. This is un-American, and it's very disturbing, and it's getting worse.”
The anti-ICE demonstration was held in Evansville, Friday, Jan 23, to show solidarity with Minnesota residents protesting the agency's presence in their cities.
A dozen or so bundled-up individuals march before the Hilton-Doubletree Hotel at Walnut and Martin Luther King Boulevard. They’re chanting, “No hate, no fear, immigrants are welcome here.”
This demonstration was part of a nationwide effort. They also protested businesses they say are “propping up" ICE, and the actions of the immigration officers.
Leading the chant is Indivisible Evansville President Wendy Bredhold. She said she’s here to support Minnesotans — and draw attention to the role the hotel chain has in the ICE operation in the Twin Cities.
“The Hilton Hotel is one of the corporations that's propping up this effort by not only housing ICE agents in Minneapolis, but actually dropping a franchisee who refused to house ICE agents in Minneapolis,” Bredhold said.
That hotel operator apologized and reversed position, but was still dropped from the chain.
Bredhold said, “these protests across the country in solidarity with the economic boycott in Minneapolis today are focused on, obviously, on the Trump administration, but also on the institutions that are supporting the Trump administration, like the Hilton Hotels, Target, Home Depot and Delta Airlines.”
Over the course of the event, Bredhold said about 30 attended total. She said there were no negative reactions from the public, but many positive ones.
“Particularly from groups of young people passing by on foot, as well as appreciative honks,” she said.
Bredhold said she knows individuals directly affected by the actions of the Trump Administration.
Indivisible Evansville is urging Indiana lawmakers to vote against ICE’s funding. Two US citizens have been shot and killed by federal agents during “Operation Metro Surge” — Renee Good and Alex Pretti.
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