Carla Bustillos, a first generation American protesting in Kingstowne, expressed her fears for Venezuelans whose TPS status is being withdrawn.
On Jan. 7, many people were caught up in frame by frame analysis of the Minneapolis ICE shooting that killed Renee Nicole Good. Compounded by the ICE shooting of two citizens in Portland Oregon, more than 1,000 protests erupted across the country during the weekend of Jan. 10-11.
Locally, Fairfax Indivisible, Indivisible of Franconia, and others, acted quickly to hold rallies, including the “Stop ICE Now Rapid Response Rally” in Kingstowne on Jan. 9, and “Stop ICE For Good” rally in Annandale on Jan. 11. Many other area protests opposing ICE activities added to the hundreds of events in Minneapolis and around the country as tens of thousands took to the streets in “ICE Out for Good” demonstrations.
Indivisible of Franconia organizers described their rally as a “response to the Jan. 7 killing of Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis by an ICE agent, and in support of protests in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area and nationwide against ICE, the Department of Homeland Security and the Trump administration.”
Co-leader Erica Soroha said, “The shooting death of Renee Good, an unarmed citizen, is the latest tragedy caused by the unlawful practices of ICE. Officers of the law are supposed to protect the public. ICE is a danger to the public.”
Kingstowne Rally
Protestors who turned out described the urgency they felt to show up and speak out against “the horrific actions being perpetrated in communities across the country.”
Brittany Wolf of Alexandria said, “It’s absolutely unacceptable that ICE is terrorizing our communities; it’s domestic terrorism.”
Jessica Tipton of Alexandria was protesting “for a lot of reasons; primarily because of the way ICE threatens communities and neighbors. It’s dehumanizing. It has done nothing to make us safer, as they are claiming, and put everyone in danger; immigrants and citizens. I’m part of a community group that looks out for our neighbors.”
Carla Bustillos of Alexandria, a first generation American whose family is from Venezuela, got tearful as she spoke. She was thinking about her extended family member who was here under legal Temporary Protected Status, but left the U.S. out of fear of that status’s withdrawal. She said she “is sad and frightened for Venezuelan and Cuban immigrants who escaped high cost and taxes, poor conditions, and even persecution in their countries, only to find State-based terrorism and the mandate of Trump’s administration to terrorize communities and break the soul of the U.S. as a nation of immigrants.” She shared, as a mom of three, she identified with Renee Good. “Local protest is so important; neighbors showing up to say, “it’s not okay.”
Bonnie Pacheco of Burke, Susan Brown of Springfield and Mary Kringer of Fairfax Station came to protest together, and not for the first time. Brown said, “There have been any number of good reasons [for protesting] but the murder of Renee Good takes it a further overstep out of bounds. People need to speak up.”
Nancy Mellito of Burke, [holding a facsimile of the Statue of Liberty] said, “We didn’t put her up to put up with this. … I stand with Lady Liberty!”
Annandale Rally
Many places in the county attracted people who described wanting to respond to the Renee Good tragedy, and also to be joyous in the company of other like-minded people who oppose the administration actions on immigration and other issues. Fairfax Indivisible, Falls Church Indivisible, and members of the Accotink Unitarian Universalist Church wanted to provide an outlet for people’s expression. Marianne Burke of Fairfax Indivisible said, "We were horrified by the thuggish actions committed by ICE agents against immigrants and others in Minneapolis which led to the killing of an American citizen. It was critical that we bear witness immediately to the aggressions ICE is committing. Because we stand up for our rights as defined by the US Constitution, we wanted to show that we will not be intimidated to speak out. Obviously by the size of the crowd, our neighbors and friends feel the same way."
Sunday’s Fairfax Indivisible overpass demonstration drew an estimated 400-plus protestors. Clare O’Leary and Debbie Halfield, of Annandale, donned frog imagery as part of their resistance message. O’Leary said, “Particularly from the death of Renee Good, I’d rather see reasonable treatment of refugees and immigrant neighbors. Love our neighbors, as ourselves. Immigrants deserve a fair application process and rights under the law. All of us, including immigrants.”
Meredith Hedrick, of Annandale, participated with a group of returning Peace Corps volunteer friends. “We wanted to do something to honor our beliefs and values. I’m here to be with other like-minded people. There are times when you have to speak up.”
Ying Smith, of Springfield, used song to share her message, as she walked along the overpass playing her guitar and singing the words of Woody Guthrie’s famous folk song, “This Land Is Your Land.”
Both rallies drew support from cars passing by with horn honking and waves, along with a few negative hand gestures. Fairfax County Police officers maintained an unobtrusive presence as they were deployed across the county and are ready to respond as needed.
FCPD Public Information Officer described recognition of residents’ rights to exercise First Amendment speech and the police role “to facilitate lawful protest activity while maintaining order, managing traffic, responding to emergencies, and addressing safety concerns.”
Protestors packed a Braddock overpass on Jan. 6th