Local activist groups organized an emergency protest in downtown Colorado Springs on Jan. 25 in response to ICE agents killing Alex Pretti in Minneapolis, Minn.
Pretti’s death marked the second killing by ICE in the city this month, following the death of Renee Nicole Good on Jan. 7.
Groups including the 50501 Movement, Colorado Springs Alliance, General Strike Colorado and the Freedom Road Socialist Organization gathered a crowd at City Hall, braving the cold temperatures and snow. Attendees included Colorado College students and community members and organizers.
The protest consisted of various speaker-led chants that transformed emotion into expression. The chants were raucous and amplified by a chorus of honking horns, as passing cars on Nevada Avenue expressed their support. Each chant was delivered by a loud crowd. These calls included historical messages of liberation, such as “No justice, no peace,” as well as contemporary messages of resistance, such as “ICE, get the fuck out” and “Justice for Alex Pretti.”
Signs held by protesters expressed varying messages: “I protest today so I don’t have to hide a family in my attic tomorrow,” and, more optimistically, “The power of the people is much stronger than the people in power.” Other signs used puns and double entendres like “Democracy on the rocks, dump the ICE,” and “Pretti Good Reasons to Defund ICE.”
Along with leading protesters in chants, the speakers used their platform to voice grievances against ICE and offer actionable plans for resistance. Kimberly Gold, the City Council representative for District 4, explained how her constituents are affected by ICE. “I represent the most diverse population in Colorado Springs… My constituents are afraid to leave home right now and that is not okay.”
While Gold emphasized her community’s experience with ICE, other speakers focused on mobilization and resistance strategies. A member of General Strike Colorado spoke about the need to take action. “We need to be organizing, not just amongst organizations that you see here, but in your own neighborhoods, in your own communities.” The speech finished with a message of hope. “Our neighborhoods are mad, but we can turn that anger into action.”
Other speakers warned about further escalation and urged vigilance. A representative from Colorado Rapid Response, an organization that operates a 24/7 hotline to report ICE activity, stressed the need for immediate action. “We need everyone to step up and help us. Help us before these terrorists keep killing us… One of these days, it’s going to be one of our neighbors lying dead on Bijou.” They concluded their speech by sharing the Colorado Rapid Response number, 844-864-8341, and urged the audience to call this number to report any ICE activity in Colorado.
CC student Allyson Pena ‘27 expressed the desire to stand up for her family and community. “As the daughter of immigrants, I see what is currently going on with ICE and think it is absolutely abhorrent. I was born and raised in Colorado Springs and have personally felt the impact [of] mass deportations have had on my family and community here.” Pena continued with a message of solidarity. “By going to the protest, I hoped to be the voice for the millions of immigrants who are forced to stay silent.”
Another student, who wished to remain anonymous, expressed their ongoing frustration with ICE. “I decided to head out to the protest as soon as I heard about it. ICE’s non-stop terrorization of innocent families and communities has been sickening, along with their disregard of citizens’ rights.”
They expressed concerns regarding ICE’s apparent immunity, which Vice President J.D. Vance explicitly announced earlier this month. The student continued saying, “That’s not a law enforcement agency, it’s a private military. There’s absolutely no place for that in this country, and any opportunity to protest it is a good opportunity.”
The anonymous student continued with a message to the student body, urging action. “I don’t care if you’ve never seen ICE in person, or even if you’re unlikely to ever be targeted by them at all. You know that this is a crisis in our country, and it’s time to listen, learn and step up.”
Pena focused on CC students’ privilege. “A lot of students who go here have influential family members or are a part of influential families themselves. Students here have the opportunity to protest, whether it be fiscally or in person and I believe doing so is very important, especially [for] students from a college like ours.”
Pena finished with a call for students to stay involved. “Resistance at any level will cause change.”