Staff Writer- Amelia Dewberry
Soren Sackreiter
On Friday, Jan. 23, hundreds of Gusties and community members gathered in the bitter cold in Minnesota Square Park to protest Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) operations in Minnesota. The student-planned protest joined communities around the state in “ICE Out Of MN” day, headlined by an afternoon march in Minneapolis. Protestors’ demands aligned with those of “ICE Out Of MN”, namely calling for ICE to leave Minnesota immediately and a shutdown of the agency.
The goal of the protest was “to allow students a safe and local way to protest, show people that in the community that might feel threatened we care about them, and show people in the community that might not be that aware of the issue, or think that nobody cares about it, that people do care and you should care too,” Junior Laura Sunnarborg explained.
Sunnarborg was one of the lead student organizers, along with four other Environmental Action Coalition (EAC) members.
The idea to hold a protest in St. Peter was born just two days prior in a Geology class. Students “thought we should do something in St Peter too, because a lot of students might not be able to drive to Minneapolis,” Sunnarborg said. An organizing team leapt into action, developing logistical plans and publicizing the event at Gustavus and to the broader community.
They registered the protest officially with Indivisible, created an Instagram account, contacted local news outlets and law enforcement, sent emails, and hung posters to spread the word. In addition, the team provided sign-making supplies, coordinated a carpool shuttle from campus to the park, and offered hand warmers, hot cocoa, and hot dogs to keep protesters safe and warm.
“Also worth shouting out,” Sunnarborg mentioned, “the Presbyterian church, like a block away, offered for us to use it as a warming house.”
At 1 p.m., people lined Highway 169 in St. Peter and held signs expressing opposition to ICE and solidarity with their neighbors.
Junior Veronica Wahman explained that the protest “centered around displaying protest signs to people driving on Highway 169. There was a constant sense of anticipation as we waited for the next reaction from drivers. Will it be a honk? A wave? A thumbs up? A middle finger?”
The energy was “full of hope and joy,” Senior Henry Lundeen-Detisch recalled. “I think there were a lot of smiles, a lot of going around and seeing familiar faces and kind of getting that affirmation that what we are doing is kind of for the common good.”
“The energy that people brought with what they cared about was very powerful,” Senior Alex Lamsam agreed.
Protestors united to demonstrate the power of the local community and ICE’s impact not only in the Twin Cities but statewide. The protest and its turnout “really showed that whether you’re in Minneapolis or St. Paul or in St. Peter, there are people that care about similar things and care about the things that we need to talk about,” Lamsam reflected.
“I chose to stand in solidarity with the immigrant community in the St. Peter area instead of traveling to Minneapolis because ICE operations are currently affecting people right here in our home,” Wahman said.
“The St. Peter immigrant community is suffering the consequences of the federal government’s hateful and racist policies as well as the hateful and racist attitudes of some rural residents. Despite little news coverage, St. Peter is suffering from this crisis too.”
“I think that the federal government’s methods of trying to scare us, to make us fearful, and in hopes to divide us, is not working, and it won’t work. I think Minnesota is super strong. I think Gustavus is also very strong, and I think the protest on Friday was proof of that,” Lundeen-Detisch said.
While participants consider Friday’s protest to be a powerful demonstration of the community’s strength, resilience, and opposition to ICE, they encourage continued efforts to stand up for justice. “Minnesota is at the heart of the fight for protecting immigrant communities and protecting our constitutional rights as Americans,” Sunnarborg said. To continue the fight, protest organizers urge people to continue educating themselves about the issue, to contact their government representatives, and to support their neighbors by volunteering and donating.
In addition, Wahman recommends “keep[ing] up with the Minnesota Protests Facebook page to stay informed about protests in the area.” On campus, she urges Gusties that “If your professors and classmates are not talking about ICE, bring it up in class. This is not the moment to continue business as usual. Speak up in your classes and friend groups so that we don’t become complicit in one of the most important issues of our lives.”