WILLIAMSBURG, Va. — Two political groups organized a protest against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on Black Friday afternoon in Williamsburg, with protestors gathering near the Williamsburg Premium Outlets to voice their opposition to the federal agency.
The demonstration was organized by Williamsburg-James City County Indivisible and Virginia Organizing, two anti-Trump groups that aimed to draw attention to ICE's actions under the Trump administration. Protesters gathered at the intersection of Richmond Road and Olde Town Road, chanting "Hey, hey, ho, ho, we know that ICE has got to go" and "What do we want? Abolish ICE! When do we want it? Now!"
Will Pell, a Hampton resident who participated in the protest, said the demonstration was about supporting community members affected by immigration enforcement.
"Many of our community members are living in fear, and don't get to enjoy this holiday season with their families because either they've been deported, or detained, or are living in fear," Pell said.
Organizers chose to demonstate near Williamsburg Premium Outlets on Black Friday specifically for the increased crowds the shopping day would provide.
"We knew there were going to be a lot of people around today. We would have great visibility. People need to understand that this matters to everyone. They're fellow human beings, and we all have to stand up and say 'enough is enough,'" said Heather Meaney-Allen, a founding member of Williamsburg JCC Indivisible.
The group said they are protesting ICE agents appearing "all over town" and have been "terrorizing our neighbors."
ICE did not respond to News 3's requests for comment about Friday's demonstration. However, protests in other parts of the country earlier this year prompted a statement from a special agent with the agency addressing demonstrations.
"Peaceful protest is a right protected under the Constitution, and our agents are proud to defend that right every day. But threats, violence, and property damage by criminal actors claiming some kind of vigilante justice will not be tolerated in the Heartland," the statement from ICE Special Agent Charge of HSI Kansas City, Mark Zito read.
Meaney-Allen emphasized the importance of community action in protecting vulnerable populations.
"It's all right now about the American people standing up and doing the right thing. And that is protecting people that are vulnerable," she said.
They had planned to join the "ice scraper" protest, a movement against raids occurring at Home Depots across the U.S. — where protesters purchase a cheap ice scraper and then immediately return it — but a nearby Home Depot did not have any ice scrapers in stock Friday, an organizer said.
Video from the protest, which aimed to draw attention to the actions of Immigration and Customs Enforcement under the Trump administration.
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