Colorado Springs activists hold rally condemning the murder of Alex Pretti

Colorado Springs, CO – On January 25, the Colorado Springs Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (COSAARPR) gathered at Colorado Springs City Hall to protest against the recent killing of Alex Pretti, an ICU nurse who was observing ICE activity in Minneapolis.

Organizers in 50501, About Face, Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO), Colorado Rapid Response Network (CORRN), General Strike, and the Brown Berets endorsed the action to express their support for justice for Alex Pretti and all who have been harmed by ICE. Despite the snow and freezing temperatures, around 1500 people showed up to express their righteous anger towards ICE’s latest murder.

Members of COSAARPR and the endorsing organizations shared speeches that called for ICE agents out of every city including Colorado Springs and Minneapolis and condemned the murders of Pretti and Renee Good.

Brianna Campbell, a member of COSAARPR stated, “As I learn and as I wake up to the actions of our government under every administration, Republican and Democrat, that has been done in our name over the past several decades – both here at home against Black people, against brown people, against poor white people and all around the non-Western world – the more I realize that I should have been feeling this rage and horror for my entire life.”

A member of CORRN, Caly Katzin, told the crowd, “They [ICE] do not care about us or about de-escalation. They only want to destroy families and hunt people for sport.”

Genevieve Richard with FRSO stated, “They knew when they joined ICE that they were joining Trump’s racist agenda. They knew that they were serving the imperialists putting the boot on all of us. They are servants of the empire, and their lives are lighter than feathers.”

Richard spoke on the sacrifices of Good and Pretti, saying, “Renee Good and Alex Pretti instead rose up against an invasion of their communities; they rose up against mass deportations; they rose up against separation of families; they rose up against the deaths in DHS; and they rose up against the killings in the streets. Their deaths are heavier than the Rocky Mountains!”

People crowded the City Hall steps and spilled out into the sidewalk and median, chanting things like “ICE out of neighborhoods!” and “Justice for Alex Pretti!” with chants also ringing out in Spanish; “La Raza, sí; la migra, no!” People also held signs reading, “Killer ICE off our streets” and “We say no to deportations.” People who passed by in their cars blared their horns in support. This action showed that the people of Colorado Springs firmly stand in solidarity with the people of Minneapolis and the immigrant community in demanding an end to the deportations and ICE terror.

#ColoradoSpringsCO #CO #ImmigrantRights #AlexPretti #ICE #KillerICE #COSAARPR #CORRN