Puyallup rally draws hundreds of people demanding ICE leaves communities
There’s typically 20 to 30 people attending Indivisible Puyallup’s weekly anti-Trump protests across the street from the South Hill Mall, Indivisible Puyallup chair Eric Showacy said.
But midday Saturday, the number multiplied to around 250 as people flocked to 35th Avenue Southeast and South Meridian to participate in their local “ICE Out For Good” protest.
Following Renee Nicole Good’s death after she was fatally shot Wednesday by an ICE agent, a coalition of national groups organized an “ICE Out for Good Weekend of Action”. The Puyallup event was one of over 1,000 events planned across the country this weekend calling for the federal agency to leave communities and be held accountable for its actions.
“ICE OUT’s goal is to raise awareness to basically all the atrocities that we’re witnessing across the nation right now, and unfortunately, it seems to have taken Renee Nicole Good’s murder for people to see what’s actually happening,” said Eric Showacy, the chair of Indivisible Puyallup.
The stretch on Meridian next to South Hill Village Retail Center was lined with protestors of all ages holding signs with messages like “ICE OUT NOW” and “WE ARE ALL RENEE,” whooping as passing cars honked in solidarity.
Participants ranged from across Pierce County, including Auburn, Bonney Lake, Tacoma, Fife, Edgewood and Milton, Showacy said.
Among the crowd was Matthew Caras, a Pierce County resident and organizer with local Indivisible chapters.
Protesting ICE’s actions is especially significant to him as someone from a family of immigrants. Besides speaking out through protesting, he emphasized the importance of community-building as a form of resistance.
“These types of issues happen too often, where people get dragged out of their communities, they go through a process of trauma, and there is nothing we can do about it,” Caras said. “So what we need to do is we need to stand up to ICE and say that they are not welcome in our community.”
It was Lindsay Butler’s first time at an Indivisible protest. She’s a mother of two and a Puyallup resident of 20 years, and felt reassured to see the masses of people who showed up at the rally.
“As a mother I’ve been afraid of wanting to protest,” Butler said. “It just confirmed my fears, how [Renee Nicole Good] was killed, but also reconfirms that I can’t live in fear.”
Steven Golubic attends the Indivisible protests every week, and attributes Saturday’s large crowd to community outrage over Good’s death. As a Vietnam War veteran 20 years into retirement, he said it’s not his future he’s protesting for, but the next generation’s.
“I want to make a sign that says ‘Don’t honk, join us,’” he said.
Protestor Allison McAdams said she, as a white woman, wants to see more white people using their privilege to speak up for the marginalized groups impacted by ICE’s actions.
“I think we have to take a much more active role to fight this regime,” McAdams said. “Otherwise we’re just going to see it continue to take place.”
There was only one counter-protestor: Puyallup resident David Dennis. He stood across the street from opposing protesters holding a large American flag and even larger blue and red Trump sign. After hearing about the protest on social media, he attended the event to show his support for ICE and his family members in the military service.
“They protect our country. If not we are a lawless society,” Dennis said. “We have to have security throughout the country or else it becomes like what you see in Venezuela and what goes on in other places.”
