Protests have spread across U.S. cities, including Minneapolis, New York, San Francisco, Boston, and Providence, after federal ICE agents killed 37-year-old Alex Preti, a medical technician who lived and worked in Minneapolis.
The wave of protests came just a day after thousands marched the streets of Minneapolis to protest against ICE. Demonstrators returned to the streets despite extreme cold to express opposition to the agency’s actions and to show support for Preti and others who, they claim, suffered due to the sudden influx of immigration agents into the city in recent weeks.
In New York, thousands gathered at Union Square, chanting: “Say it once, say it twice, we won’t tolerate ICE!” Democratic City Council member Chi Ose addressed the crowd, calling for the abolition of ICE.
“We need Nuremberg-style trials for the people in ICE, for those who commit crimes against humanity here in our country. I refuse to call them police. They are agents of chaos. They destroy the fabric of our country,” Ose shouted to protesters.
The Nuremberg trials were judicial proceedings held after World War II, in which Allied forces prosecuted top Nazi officials for war crimes, crimes against humanity, and crimes against peace.
In Washington, D.C., crowds gathered in front of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) headquarters, with videos showing protesters chanting “shame”.
On the West Coast, in San Francisco, hundreds gathered downtown as the sun set, holding signs and chanting slogans like “rise up, fight back”.
Protesters carried banners against ICE and demanded justice for Rene Gud, another Minneapolis resident killed earlier this month by an ICE agent.
Further south, in Los Angeles, hundreds marched through downtown streets, carrying signs of solidarity reading “From Los Angeles to Minneapolis, stop ICE terror,” according to the Los Angeles Times.
In Providence, hundreds gathered outside the local DHS office, shouting “Close DHS, close DHS,” while others held banners reading “No tyrants, no kings” and “ICE is the worst of the worst.”
In Boston, large groups of protesters marched through the streets, chanting together in unison.
Alex Preti, a U.S. citizen working in the ICU of the Minneapolis Veterans Health System, was shot multiple times during the confrontation with ICE agents.
The Department of Homeland Security and its head, Kristi Noem, stated that Preti “approached agents with a 9mm semi-automatic pistol,” and that agents attempted to disarm him.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara added that Preti was a legal gun owner with a carry permit. Minnesota law allows citizens to carry handguns publicly without requiring them to be concealed.
In Minneapolis itself, protesters returned to the site of Preti’s death despite freezing temperatures. As night fell, hundreds quietly gathered around an improvised memorial at the site where the medical technician was killed.
Some held banners reading “Justice for Alex Preti”, while others chanted Preti’s and Gud’s names. Nearby businesses, including a donut shop and a clothing store, stayed open to provide shelter, water, coffee, and snacks for demonstrators.
Caleb Spike, who came from a nearby suburb, said he attended to show support and frustration. “It feels like something even crazier happens every day. What’s happening in our community is wrong, disgusting, and painful,” he said.
MORE TOPICS:
MARK BRNOVIĆ BURIED IN PHOENIX: Family and Friends Pay Their Final Respects! (VIDEO)
Source: Mondo, Foto: Printscreen/NBC news