New Yorkers protest, occupy a Hilton Hotel to demand ICE and feds out

New York, NY — Over 1000 New Yorkers took the streets on January 27 after the execution of Alex Pretti by Border Patrol in Minneapolis a few days before. Since Pretti’s murder, hundreds of thousands of people around the country have mobilized despite a winter storm to defend their neighbors and fight back against racist attacks by federal agents.

Organizers from New York Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (NYAARPR) began with a rally at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) field office in Lower Manhattan.

NYAARPR Chair Shivani Ishwar reminded the crowd to “not forget the other lives that have been cruelly extinguished by ICE.” Last year, the Border Patrol killed at least 17 people. ICE killed at least 33 people last year and nine people this year already. Border patrol shot another person in Arizona on the morning of the action.

Pretti’s was the second January murder in Minneapolis. The New York Alliance had organized a protest on January 8 after the brutal murder of Renee Good. In both actions, the New York Alliance demanded the immediate removal of all federal agents from New York City.

Daniel Koh, another NYAARPR speaker, contextualized resistance to ICE in the wider struggle for liberation. He said, “This fight is bigger than just New York. It’s bigger than ICE, it’s bigger than Trump. It’s the whole rotten system. And it won’t go down without a fight, but that’s why we’re here!” Attacks on immigrants reflect the United States’s oppression at home and warmongering abroad.

The New York Alliance began a march towards a Hilton hotel in Tribeca, where organizers from NYC ICE Watch had planned a disruption and occupation of the lobby. More than 100 people took the Hilton lobby with photographs of those murdered by federal agents.

The New York Alliance rallied outside the hotel, chanting, “It is right to rebel, ICE and Hilton go to hell!” A speaker from NYC ICE Watch explained how Hilton continues to house ICE agents, profiteering from attacks on immigrants. Hilton even revoked franchise status from a Minneapolis franchisee exercising their right to refuse service to ICE.

The NYPD arrested over 70 protesters and attempted to divide and kettle the rally outside. The New York Alliance continued the march, chanting, “NYPD, KKK, ICE and feds, they’re all the same!”

The march ended at Washington Square Park, where Ishwar ended with a message “To ICE, to the feds, to Kristi Noem, to Donald Trump, to Hilton and the other corporations that enable ICE activity — this is unacceptable! We will not allow the open terror you have sown in our communities! We will kick ICE out of everywhere, and we will put an end to this racist, repressive agency!”

The New York Alliance will continue to organize against the NYPD and the federal agents occupying New York City.

#NewYorkNY #NY #ImmigrantRights #ICE #KillerICE #AlexPretti #NYAARPR #NYCICEWatch