Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent Jonathan E. Ross was caught on video shooting and killing 37-year-old Renee Good in Minneapolis on Jan. 7, sparking a massive outcry for justice and for ICE—to put it plainly—to get the fuck out of the state.
And after an immigration agent shot another two people in Portland on Jan. 8, hundreds of “ICE Out For Good” protests and vigils are taking place across the country this weekend as people demand an end to ICE’s lawlessness.
“The shootings in Minneapolis and Portland were not the beginning of ICE’s cruelty, but they need to be the end,” ACLU’s Chief Political and Advocacy Officer Deirdre Schifeling said in a statement provided to Daily Kos. “These tragedies are simply proof of one fact: The Trump administration and its federal agents are out of control, endangering our neighborhoods, and trampling on our rights and freedom.”
According to data collected by the nonprofit The Trace, there have been 16 ICE-related shootings so far during Trump’s second term, with four people being killed.
The ACLU, which hosts workshops to educate people on how to stay safe during protests, says that knowing your rights and learning how to deescalate a tense situation can help keep everyone safe. And since the killing of Good in Minneapolis, interest in its workshops has spiked.
ACLU’s National Director of Immigrant Community Strategies Maribel Hernandez Rivera told Daily Kos that they received thousands of RSVPs to the workshops in the two days following the killing.
“The right to protest is protected by the Constitution, and people have a real hunger to know how to make their voices heard peacefully, lawfully, and safely, ” Rivera told Daily Kos. “And we also know that it really matters—millions of people protesting peacefully is the most powerful and effective response to political violence and threat. When we turn intimidation into momentum, we change the calculus.”
And with more people taking to the streets, Rivera told Daily Kos, the Trump administration will “think twice before escalating its abuses of power.”
“While it can feel daunting to speak out in the face of threats, other nonviolent movements have shown us that this is what keeps us safer in the long run and what best protects our rights,” Rivera said.
The safest places for protests are “traditional public forums,” such as streets, sidewalks, and parks, according to the ACLU. As long as you are not blocking driveways or access to buildings, you have a right to be there. But unless specifically granted permission, protesting on private property is not allowed.
You also have the right to photograph or film anything in plain sight, including officers and ICE agents, as long as you are not filming on private property without the owner’s consent.
As for a permit, the answer is a bit more complicated. Simply put, you do not need a permit to protest. However, if you are marching on streets or impeding traffic, officers may direct you to the sidewalk.
If tension escalates, you have the right to remain silent and to make a phone call. If you are calling a lawyer, officers are not allowed to listen in.
But most importantly, stay calm. Impulsive actions like fleeing on foot or in a vehicle or reaching for concealed items can prompt retaliation from officers.
Whether you’re a regular or protesting for the first time, knowing your rights is crucial.
Alix Breeden
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