Despite temperatures plunging to -23°C, thousands of residents took to the streets of Minneapolis on Friday to protest against killing of Renee Good and the general tactics used by immigration police in their pursuit of undocumented migrants.
Businesses and schools across the city closed their doors in solidarity with the protest, which was part of a general strike under the banner “No work. No school. No shopping.” Restaurants and cultural institutions joined the movement by shutting down for the day.
In the afternoon, protesters gathered downtown, holding signs with messages such as “Abolish ICE” and “Leave our neighbours alone.” A larger rally was planned later inside the arena that hosts the city’s NBA team.
Additional demonstrations took place near an ICE facility and at the Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport, where migrants are flown out to detention centres. Local media reported that around 100 religious leaders participating in the protests were arrested.
The crowd dedicated the rally to Renee Good, a 37-year-old woman shot dead by an ICE officer on 7 January, and Liam Ramos, a five-year-old boy detained by the agency earlier this week.
Minnesota, which hosts several “sanctuary” areas restricting collaboration between local law enforcement and ICE, has filed a legal request to halt the operation within the state. A court hearing is scheduled for Monday.
Since December, President Donald Trump has deployed thousands of ICE agents across the country to locate, detain, and deport undocumented migrants.
