At least hundreds of people braved frigid temperatures at the Rhode Island Statehouse on Friday afternoon to protest federal immigration raids.
The protest was part of a national day of action that called for a general strike. Protesters marching to the rally carried signs, chanted slogans and briefly blocked streets around the Statehouse.
The protests were sparked by the killings by federal agents of Alex Pretti and Renee Macklin Good in Minneapolis.
In Providence, the crowd braved temperatures around 14 degrees. Snow still covered much of the plaza in front of the Statehouse, so the crowd spilled onto Smith Street. Hot coffee stands, manned by local businesses, lined the edge of the throng. Protesters embraced one another for warmth as the march trudged forward.
“So many people today out on the streets gathering for a national day of protest against ICE, trying to fight against state-sanctioned violence and ICE terror on our communities, especially our immigrant communities,” said a marcher named Christina, who did not share her last name.
Christina was among those who said they attended the rally in response to the killings of Pretti and Good. But she also said she was struck by the fear felt by many immigrants.
“When I go out and see people that have been in this country for 40 years and they own businesses and they’re happy to be in America but they’re scared to go out on the streets,” Christina said, “that affects me so much because those are my neighbors.”
Ryan Zins, a Pawtucket resident and general manager of the cafe at New Harvest Coffee, said he closed his cafe for the day and gave away free coffee at the protest.
“We wanted to show support,” Zins said. ”Nothing like having hot coffee on a cold day to help galvanize and provide mutual-aid for people here in our protest.”
Ashley Landry, a first-generation Russian-American, said that ICE’s aggressive actions in Minneapolis, and the threat of an ICE surge in New England, have scared her and her family.
“The bottom line is we need to come together for human beings and basic rights,” Landry said. “It makes me scared for my friends and my family, it’s just nuts.”
