Why We Shut ICE Down For A Day
Young Protesters See Activism Extending Past the Elections
Posted: Nov 04, 2008
New American Media
SAN FRANCISCO – Last week hundreds of youth, families and organizers from over 10 different cities in the Bay Area gathered at the Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) building in San Francisco to demand an end to ICE raids, to demand that all detention centers be shut down and to demand real sanctuary cities.
For that day the community prevented ICE from breaking into our homes, and terrorizing our people. Crowds of young and old, black, white, Asian and Raza gathered around the police blockade chanting, speaking and singing in the rain.
We sent a clear message that immigrant communities are powerful and we are no longer willing to allow ICE agents, police agents, city officials or any laws to intimidate us.
The day began with young people walking out of their local high schools and heading to BART stations to get to Ferry Park in San Francisco, where people began preparing for the march to the ICE building. People dressed in black, with their faces painted as skulls, representing the many people who have fallen victim to the attacks on immigrants both here in the Bay Area as well as on the border.
Many carried signs, some with the same message that hung from placards on Treasure Island: "If Capital Can Cross Borders, So Can We!" At ICE headquarters, the crowd formed a huge circle with speakers highlighting the connection between the diverse communities that are affected by deportations and raids. It was an amazingly powerful day on which youth disrupted business as usual at the ICE building, preventing ICE from disrupting the lives of entire communities.
After Nov. 4th, this issue cannot be forgotten. Whether Obama or McCain win, there is no guarantee that the raids will stop.
No matter who comes into office there is still a huge border wall being built between the United States and Mexico. Corporations are still being allowed to take their business freely across the border, while forcing families to either work as cheap labor in their home countries or to cross the border in search of better jobs.
http://news.ncmonline.com/news/view_article.html?article_id=3719e389ebdef31db9d4961e19fc68cc
