New York, NY – On Tuesday, January 27, around two dozen NYU students and faculty gathered in Garibaldi Plaza, Washington Square Park for an emergency speak out against ICE’s murder of Alex Pretti.

Protesters chanted, “It is right to rebel! ICE go to hell!” and “Justice for Alex Pretti!” Several people who were walking stopped to take photos and videos of the chants and speeches.

The first speaker, Oko Kanginan from the Students for a Democratic Society at NYU, spoke on how the issue of ICE personally mattered a lot to himself because his parents are immigrants. “We have seen that no institution, government, or politician is willing to fight and protect our communities, so we must take the responsibilities on ourselves,” Oko said.

The next speaker was JJ Briscoe from Get Free NYC. He spoke on how people’s movements have put pressure on the Trump administration, forcing them to back down on their attacks. He mentioned how Greg Bovino was removed as his position of head commander of Border Patrol, and how politicians across the board are speaking against the murder of Alex Pretti. He called on protesters to get organized and continue fighting until ICE is out of everywhere.

Sonya Posmentier from the Faculty and Staff for Justice in Palestine spoke to the connections between the Palestinian struggle and the struggle against ICE here in the United States.

Lily Mecca, also from the Students for a Democratic Society at NYU, told the crowd, “It is not just ICE, it is the ones who wield this power. Donald Trump, Stephen Miller, Pam Bondi and many other faces and names behind this hate,” she says. Lily ends off her speech declaring, “As long as there is hate, there is hope. We are that hope!”

Afterwards, the protest ended with a contingent going to the citywide action against ICE led by the New York Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression.

#NewYorkNY #NY #StudentMovement #SDS #ImmigrantRights #AlexPretti