ESCONDIDO (KGTV) — Close to 500 people gathered at the intersection of Ash Street and East Valley Parkway in Escondido, demanding accountability from Immigration and Customs Enforcement following the death of Renee Good in Minneapolis.
The demonstration was part of a series of protests across San Diego County in recent days, with thousands calling for ICE to leave their communities. Previous protests took place at the federal building, Front Street and Broadway, El Cajon, and Chula Vista.
Good was shot by an ICE agent on January 7 in Minneapolis, sparking nationwide protests including multiple demonstrations throughout San Diego County.
"No more ICE murders, no more ICE being mean to people," said protester Patty McKinney.
Richard Cannon, one of the organizers, said the incident has implications beyond Minneapolis.
"They seemed emboldened to act without respect to the law, without proper use of force considerations, really everybody across the country is at risk. And so that's why you see people all across the country get out of our neighborhoods, even though the murder itself happened in Minneapolis," Cannon said.
The protest served multiple purposes beyond demonstrating against ICE. Organizers collected food donations for families affected by federal immigration enforcement and worked to expand their support networks.
"We want to make sure that we're expanding our ICE patrols and rapid response networks that we're expanding our mutual aid that goes in and helps support and assist families who have had a family member taken by ICE," Cannon said.
For many protesters, the demonstration represented a moral obligation to take action.
"It makes me feel like I'm doing the right thing. I feel like I can't sit at home and do nothing because silence will not save us," McKinney said.
ICE issued a statement this week saying it supports peaceful protests but warned that rhetoric from activists and politicians has led to an increase in assaults on agents.
The protests show no signs of slowing down, with organizers continuing to mobilize communities across San Diego County in response to Good's death and broader concerns about immigration enforcement practices.
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