Amidst a Sea of Thousands, Protestors Rally Against ICE
It was too chilly to remove my mittens and check my phone for directions, so I decided to follow the stream of bundled-up folks ahead of me. They were all sporting signs and wearing whistles around their necks, layered up against the cold. Initially, there were just dozens of us making our way toward Government Plaza, right across from City Hall in Minneapolis, but within a block, that number swelled to hundreds. By the time I arrived, it felt like thousands had gathered. Estimates ranged from five to ten thousand, but on the ground, it was like a single, pulsating mass that was impossible to count.
Navigating through the crowd, I kept saying “excuse me” and “pardon me” despite the noise, as everyone here was remarkably polite. Someone handed me a “Fuck ICE” pin, another offered a chocolate-chip cookie, and yet another presented a red vuvuzela. All three preferred to remain anonymous.
January 30 marked the second general strike in the Twin Cities following the tragic death of Alex Pretti at the hands of federal immigration officers. This event was reportedly organized by Somali and Black student groups from the University of Minnesota. Unlike the previous week’s strike, which had the backing of local unions, this one felt more hastily put together. I heard whispers of a potentially lower turnout, which seemed hard to believe given the sheer number of people crowding the plaza. More Minnesotans kept arriving; a light-rail car pulled in, and I could see passengers packed in like sardines, spilling out and somehow filling every available space.
They chanted: “No more Minnesota nice, Minneapolis will strike.”
In contrast to the ongoing protests outside the Whipple Federal Building, where ICE agents depart in unmarked vehicles to apprehend immigrants, the atmosphere at the City Hall rally was almost celebratory, despite an underlying current of anger and fear that permeated the area. At Whipple, protesters jeer at federal agents and local deputies, often facing flash bangs and pepper spray in return. Today, the City Hall rally felt safer, but the people of Minneapolis had learned that danger could strike at any moment. You could be sitting in your car and be killed by a federal agent. You could be watching for ICE and meet the same fate. You could be protesting that very killing and find yourself arrested. You could be walking or driving to work and be taken by a federal agent. Even blowing a whistle to warn your neighbors about an abduction could lead to being pepper-sprayed. Medics were on standby, ready for anything.
Helicopters hovered above, while volunteer marshals in bright vests were stationed at nearly every entrance and street corner, guiding the crowd. One of them warned me about the ice; I didn’t catch her warning and slipped, but a woman behind me was quick to catch my fall.
