Sitting at my desk Friday morning, January 30, I read in the Denver Post that many restaurants, businesses, and schools would be closed that day for ICE Out demonstrations. Other businesses pledged to donate a percentage of their profits to local immigrant rights organizations. I quickly reorganized my schedule and drove down to Denver to take part.
Protesters and marchers chanted and screamed their support for the peaceful demonstrations in Minneapolis after the shooting of innocent protesters by ICE. For those not in the U.S. (I have many international readers), ICE stands for Immigration and Customs Enforcement. This heavily armed quasi-military force, hiding their identities behind masks, have invaded several major cities, especially those in “blue” liberal areas, ramped up by Donald Trump and his federal government officials, attacking peaceful crowds gathering in protest to demand their civil rights.
In Minneapolis, Renee Gold and Alex Pritti were shot to death repeatedly after posing no threat to ICE officers. Also killed by ICE this year, although not as well publicized, were Luis Gustavo Núñez Cáceres, Geraldo Lunas Campos, Víctor Manuel Díaz in Texas, Parady La in Pennsylvania, Luis Beltrán Yáñez–Cruz in California, and Heber Sánchez Domínguez in Georgia. I’m repeating their names so as not to be forgotten. ICE has been arresting minority people, brown people, imprisoning them, breaking up families, most without the opportunity to fight the charges in court, some rapidly deported.
The Denver Post reported that thousands of Coloradans participated in demonstrations as part of the national ICE Out campaign on Friday. More than 1,500 teachers stayed home from work. I met and talked with many teachers and students and thanked them for being there. I arrived just as they began their march through the downtown streets and had to jog to catch up. Unlike other marches planned well in advance, the signs were homemade, heartfelt slogans and rallying cries. I didn’t bring a sign, just my camera, to share the messages of those that were there and walk with them.
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Ruth Rosenfeld 
Yay, Denver! So glad you got to be a part of it. Some of the signs are very clever.
Barbara Rosenfeld
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Thanks, Barbara! It was a pretty young crowd, so good to see younger generations out there speaking up.
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It is disguting what is happening down in the US this past year. I’m glad the people are standing up to him. I hope it does something to make change. Maggie
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I hope so as well, but it’s going to be a hard three more years and a lot more damage to come, I’m afraid. Thanks for reading and your comment, Maggie.
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It will for all of us. Right now I’m worried about what they’ll try to do to my country.
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Trump is a fascist and a white supremacist, among other things. He is ruining the USA.
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I agree. These are hard times and it helps to speak out.
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I love this strong showing in support of justice and freedom.
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Thanks, Jay. It was encouraging to see so many young people out there making their voices heard.
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That woman’s sign in the first picture got my attention: How do we have $ for ICE but not for health care, housing, veterans, SNAP, teachers? That’s the sad thing. We do have money for those things, but it’s all being funneled to the new age Gestapo so they can continue threatening and harming with utter impunity.
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True. Some of those signs have gotten right to the point. Thanks for reading and your comment.
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Glad you were able to take part and support the demonstrations. We’ve been following what’s been happening in Minnesota and other areas in the US very closely. It’s awful.
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Thanks for reading and your comment.
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I’ve been following events in Minnesota and elsewhere in the US with horror and sadness. Kudos to all these people, you included, who took the time to speak out against what is happening.
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Thanks so much, Sarah. This is a difficult time and we do what we can, hoping to make a differene.
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