Protesters Demand Justice After Minneapolis Killings Spark Wave of Demonstrations
Thousands of protesters gathered on Michigan Avenue in Chicago's Loop, demanding justice for two people killed by immigration agents in Minneapolis. The crowd chanted slogans and held signs that read "ICE executed Alex Pretti" as they called for the abolition of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Lawrence Benito, executive director of the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, said Sunday's protests were a response to two recent killings by federal agents. The first was Renee Nicole Good, 37, who was killed on January 7th, while Alex Pretti, 37, was shot and killed on Saturday.
The ICE agency has been at the center of controversy over its use of force against immigrants. Protesters argue that the agency's tactics are violent and discriminatory, and that it should be abolished altogether.
Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton called for the abolition of ICE during Sunday's rally, saying "We must start by abolishing ICE. We must prosecute them for the crimes that they are committing."
The presence of thousands of protesters in downtown Chicago is a response to federal immigration blitzes carried out by ICE in Minneapolis and its suburbs.
Alex Pretti was a U.S. citizen who worked as an ICU nurse at the VA. He was shot by federal agents who claimed that he had violently resisted arrest. However, several videos contradict the government's account of events, showing Pretti holding up his cellphone before being disarmed and shot.
Renee Nicole Good was also a U.S. citizen who was killed by an ICE agent on January 7th. Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis, a Venezuelan man, was shot in the leg on January 15th.
Mike Gillian, a contractor from Lake View East, joined the protest after witnessing two killings by federal agents. "It's terrifying to see what's happening," he said.
Later Sunday afternoon, an interfaith group of religious leaders held a vigil for Pretti and Good at Federal Plaza. The event was attended by nearly 100 people who prayed, sang, and chanted slogans that read "Faith over fear."
As protests continue across the country, Illinois lawmakers are calling for the abolition of ICE. Mayor Brandon Johnson and Gov. JB Pritzker have also called for the agency to be abolished.
The presence of thousands of protesters in downtown Chicago highlights the growing outrage against ICE's use of force against immigrants. The question on everyone's mind is: "When will enough be enough?"
Thousands of protesters gathered on Michigan Avenue in Chicago's Loop, demanding justice for two people killed by immigration agents in Minneapolis. The crowd chanted slogans and held signs that read "ICE executed Alex Pretti" as they called for the abolition of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Lawrence Benito, executive director of the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, said Sunday's protests were a response to two recent killings by federal agents. The first was Renee Nicole Good, 37, who was killed on January 7th, while Alex Pretti, 37, was shot and killed on Saturday.
The ICE agency has been at the center of controversy over its use of force against immigrants. Protesters argue that the agency's tactics are violent and discriminatory, and that it should be abolished altogether.
Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton called for the abolition of ICE during Sunday's rally, saying "We must start by abolishing ICE. We must prosecute them for the crimes that they are committing."
The presence of thousands of protesters in downtown Chicago is a response to federal immigration blitzes carried out by ICE in Minneapolis and its suburbs.
Alex Pretti was a U.S. citizen who worked as an ICU nurse at the VA. He was shot by federal agents who claimed that he had violently resisted arrest. However, several videos contradict the government's account of events, showing Pretti holding up his cellphone before being disarmed and shot.
Renee Nicole Good was also a U.S. citizen who was killed by an ICE agent on January 7th. Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis, a Venezuelan man, was shot in the leg on January 15th.
Mike Gillian, a contractor from Lake View East, joined the protest after witnessing two killings by federal agents. "It's terrifying to see what's happening," he said.
Later Sunday afternoon, an interfaith group of religious leaders held a vigil for Pretti and Good at Federal Plaza. The event was attended by nearly 100 people who prayed, sang, and chanted slogans that read "Faith over fear."
As protests continue across the country, Illinois lawmakers are calling for the abolition of ICE. Mayor Brandon Johnson and Gov. JB Pritzker have also called for the agency to be abolished.
The presence of thousands of protesters in downtown Chicago highlights the growing outrage against ICE's use of force against immigrants. The question on everyone's mind is: "When will enough be enough?"
anyway i think its about time ICE gets held accountable, all these videos showing them lying and stuff gotta change, but at the same time, is it really fair to abolish an agency just because of some bad apples? seems kinda extreme to me...
... and how it was literally the best coffee I've had since I was in college 
. I mean, have you ever noticed how some places just get it right? Not too fancy, not too basic... just pure perfection 
️.
... heard it's got some great views and a really cool play area for the kids 
. Maybe we can grab our families together and give it a shot?
. Just saying, if someone was to start a petition to get more affordable vegan options in Chicago...
5000+ people protesting in Chicago, but did u know that the US has a $1.5 billion budget allocated for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) every year? 
That's a lot of $$$ being spent on an agency that's being called out for its violent tactics! 
The fact that 72% of Americans think ICE is abusive towards immigrants is scary 
. And, btw, the number of immigrant deaths in ICE custody has increased by 400% since 2017 
. We need to start making some serious changes ASAP 
i think its about time we start asking ourselves, when did our government become so divided? when did we lose sight of what's truly important - human life? 
. And don't even get me started on this "violent resistance" excuse - what are they even talking about? Alex Pretti was just trying to take a selfie and got caught up in some stupid situation, and now he's dead 
. And Renee Nicole Good was just walking down the street and got stopped by ICE agents for no reason at all 
. It's time for us to stand up and say enough is enough 
. I mean, can't we just have a decent conversation about these issues without turning it into a massive rally? It feels like every time someone gets killed by an ICE agent, the whole city shuts down and people start marching around with signs... I get it, it's frustrating, but do we really need to make it this dramatic? 
. we need to keep pushing for change until our voices are heard. can you imagine what it would be like if we didn't have a protest culture? we'd still be fighting for our rights and for justice 
I'm not saying what happened to those two people was okay, but we gotta consider all angles here 
I'm not saying ICE doesn't have its problems, but let's not forget that there are people on both sides of this issue 
.
and I'm still thinking about this city life vibe 
. But anyway, I was watching a video of these protests in Chicago and it made me think - have you guys ever noticed how our food prices have been skyrocketing lately? Like, I went to try that new ice cream shop downtown and the price tag was CRAZY 
. I know it's not directly related to immigration or whatnot, but as a consumer, it's like - can't we just enjoy a nice scoop of ice cream without breaking the bank? 
And it's not like Alex Pretti was some kind of criminal, he was a nurse for crying out loud! 
.
. We need to do more than just chant slogans and hold hands, we need real change 
. But seriously how many more people have to die before we take action? 
! We can't keep living in a system where our own government is hurting its own people. And the fact that thousands are showing up to protest in Chicago, Illinois... it's like, we're not just talking about this anymore, we're talking about a movement 
.