MANHATTAN, New York (WABC) — For a second straight night, crowds of anti-ICE protesters have taken over Foley Square in Manhattan, demonstrating in response to Wednesday’s deadly shooting in Minneapolis.
The turnout Thursday night was already larger than Wednesday night by the evening hours, with more protesters and a bigger police presence at Foley Square and across the street at 26 Federal Plaza.
Earlier in the day, around 200 rally participants marched from Foley Square to 1 World Trade Center, where Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem spoke about ongoing ICE operations.
Noem defended the actions of the federal agent who fatally shot 37-year-old mother Renee Good in Minneapolis.
Demonstrators are frustrated and fed up.
“What we saw happen yesterday, what we’ve been seeing happening with ICE is authoritarianism, it’s illegal, they don’t care that it’s illegal but as people with hearts, we show up for each other,” said protester Sarah Sophie Flicker.
The newly sworn in Manhattan Borough President, Democrat Brad Hoylman-Sigal, was among the demonstrators.
“We saw what happened in Minnesota, we all should be heartsick at that result, but it could happen here in Manhattan, in New York City, and that’s why it’s so important that we take to the streets and make our opinions known that this is not a democratic approach toward immigration,” Hoylman-Sigal said.
New York is still considered a sanctuary city – but such policies don’t prevent federal officials from carrying out their own enforcement.
Protesters on Thursday encouraged more people to come out.
“We have to be like foaming at the mouth and fomenting…I mean, everyone has their jobs, they got things to do, I get it, but at any moment that you can, you should make the public statement that this is not OK,” a protester named Catherine said.
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