Student organization holds emergency ICE protest

Hundreds of community members gathered in downtown Bozeman last Sunday afternoon to protest recent actions carried out by ICE in Minneapolis. 

The event was organized by MSU’s chapter of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), a nationwide progressive student organization, according to the national SDS website. 

Shortly after the Jan. 24 killing of intensive care nurse Alex Pretti by federal immigration officers in Minneapolis, SDS at MSU created an Instagram post calling for an emergency protest outside the Gallatin County Courthouse the following day. 

Pretti’s death marked the second fatal shooting carried out by ICE in Minneapolis this month, following the killing of Renee Nicole Good on Jan. 7, according to the BBC.

SDS at MSU began planning the protest as soon as members heard news of Pretti’s death, said Julian Staggs, the organization’s president. 

According to him, the student group partnered with several organizations to promote the event. These included Freedom Road Socialist Organization Bozeman, Democratic Socialists of America Bozeman, Montana 4 Palestine and Students Against Genocide.

“We're here to stand against ICE deployment in Minneapolis and in solidarity with the people in Minneapolis in their resistance to ICE,” Staggs said in an interview with the Exponent during the event.

He said that the opposition to ICE in Minneapolis demonstrates the power of local action. 

“When ICE came to Minneapolis, the people there were organized. They were able to put up resistance to ICE,” he said. “They were able to protect their neighbors, and so by following that example here in Bozeman, we can fight against whatever issues come up here.”

Community members of all ages and backgrounds showed up on Sunday to voice their concerns.

“In 20 years, I don't want to be part of the group of people that just kind of stood by,” said Rocco Valentine, a 16-year-old student at Gallatin High School. “I don't want to be one of those people. I don't want to be remembered as that. And also, ICE has killed two people by now, and I think that's completely unjust for a government agency to be doing.”

45-year Bozeman resident Kim Hoberecht echoed this statement. “I think that the ICE activity in Minneapolis is not something that should be continuing. I think it's already shown itself to be out of control. Two people have been killed,” he said

One protester urged Americans to remember this country’s founding principles. “Let's read our constitution again and remember that it's ‘We, the People.’ The government's supposed to work for us, not the other way around,” said MSU freshman Julia Lovato.

Community member Joe Newman said that recent federal activity, such as the killings, is indicative of a more serious political trend toward fascism. 

“I’m here because I care about future generations, and I know that fascism comes in small steps at a time and I’m afraid that it's a lot worse than it appears,” he said.

During the event, some protesters gathered around the steps of the Gallatin County Courthouse while Staggs delivered a speech.

“You guys are all angry enough,” he said. “But what we’re not is organized enough.” Staggs urged listeners to follow the lead of communities in Minneapolis, Portland, OR and Los Angeles by increasing local organization.

“When ICE comes in force, we can fight them back. We can stand with our community members and make Bozeman ungovernable by the Trump administration,” Staggs said. 

To learn more about SDS at MSU, visit its Instagram account @sdsmontanastate.