Abolish ICE protest held outside of Reno, Nevada ICE facility

Описание: In response to the increasing violence by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Minneapolis, a protest was organized to highlight the violence across the country and recognize those who have lost their lives at the hands of ICE.

“The goal of today is to bring attention to the fact that ICE is here in our town,” one speaker said.

The protesters walked together from the Need 2 Speed parking lot to the ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Facility. This Reno office, located at 6999 Sierra Center Parkway, is an immigration court where people must complete immigration check-ins and where an immigration bond can be posted.

During the protest, speakers acknowledged those whose lives have been lost by kneeling and saying their names, and held a moment of silence in remembrance. They also encouraged participants to introduce themselves to one another in two five-minute breaks between speakers.

The protest speakers emphasized the importance of community building and protecting one another, citing Minneapolis as an example of how street-level organizing can help keep neighbors safe. They also motivated people to educate themselves about their ancestral backgrounds and their legal rights if confronted by ICE.

“Knowing where you are and where you come from is the most important thing that leads you to liberation,” a speaker said.

Speakers questioned the rationale of taking federal funding for the Parr Blvd jail to house more ICE detainees.

“Why did we accept the grant? Why is there money coming in? And now, we are expanding, and not only giving money to ICE, but now we’re deciding, how about we give money to the police? That does not seem like a win to me.”

The Reno Police Department was monitoring the parking lot and followed the protestors to the ICE ERO facility. A police vehicle was parked across the street for most of the protest. Despite the group's efforts to keep the protest under wraps by not sharing any information via social media, speakers confronted participants from organizations like Indivisible and 50501, insinuating that they had collaborated with police. The speakers pleaded that informing the police put the protestors in danger.

“We do not collaborate with the police. And if you don’t understand that, understand that you don't understand what it feels like ot be targeted by the police, as a Black, brown, and indigenous person. The police and ICE are the same face with a different mask,” the speaker said.

Get the full report by Michelle Baker on thisisreno.com.