Hundreds of Lansing-area residents gathered Saturday afternoon outside a shopping center to protest the fatal shooting of a Minneapolis woman earlier this week during a federal immigration enforcement operation.
The demonstration followed the death of Renee Nicole Good, who was shot Wednesday in Minneapolis by an agent with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement during a morning operation in a residential neighborhood. Good later died at a county medical center. The incident remains under investigation.
Lansing’s Ashley Jones, who usually spends her Saturday afternoons visiting with family and friends, playing with her dog, or just being out in the community, said the jolt of the shooting brought her to the protest.
“ICE is shooting people, point blank, disappearing people,” Jones said. “There’s nothing more important right now because none of us are safe.”
Protesters chanted “We won’t go away until there’s justice for Renee!” and “We want ICE off our streets, no justice, no peace!”
The protest signage included messages such as “Abolish ICE,” “ICE is Wicked, Get out for Good,” “Hands Off Our Democracy, Justice for Renee,” and “Dissent is Patriotic.” Some signs accused ICE of wrongdoing or called ICE agents terrorists. One protestor’s sign read “I.C.E. Murders Moms.”
Some protesters used chalk to write messages on sidewalks expressing opposition to federal immigration agents. The writings included “Make Good Trouble,” “ICE out for Good,” and “F*** ICE.” Passing motorists frequently honked their horns in support as they drove by.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey criticized federal immigration enforcement actions in a statement released Wednesday, saying ICE operations have increased tensions in the city. He said the federal government must take responsibility not only for the harm caused but also for preventing further loss of life.
“People are being hurt, families are being ripped apart, long-term Minneapolis residents who have contributed greatly to our city, to our culture, to our economy are being terrorized and now, someone is dead,” Frey said in the statement.
Protest organizer Kimberly Smith said she was amazed by the turnout. Demonstrators lined both sides of Lake Lansing Road, from the west entrance to U.S. 127 to Centre Boulevard.
Smith had a message for ICE toward the end of the protest.
“Get out of our cities, get out of our state, get out of our country,” she said. “We don’t need you. We have police forces in our area that are perfectly capable of keeping the peace and keeping us safe.”
“We don’t need ICE kidnapping people off our streets and killing innocent observers of protests,” Smith added.
Near the end of the demonstration, protesters observed a moment of silence for Good. Light snow began to fall shortly before the group dispersed.
Smith said her organization, MI Capitol Visibility Brigade, is planning additional protests this month, including a Martin Luther King Jr. Day event on Jan. 19 and a national women’s walkout on Jan. 20.
