Santa Ana takes Bristol Street to demand justice for Alex Pretti and ICE victims
Santa Ana, CA – On January 24, nearly 100 community members from across Santa Ana gathered on the corner of Bristol and 1st Streets chanting “Killer ICE, off our streets!” The protesters demanded justice for Alex Pretti, the latest victim of killer federal agents terrorizing Minnesota. They also demanded ICE out of Orange County and an end to deportations across the country.
Diana Terreros of Community Service Organization Orange County (CSO OC) opened the event by stating, “We are here because a Border Patrol agent shot and killed Alex Pretti just this morning in Minnesota. Alex Pretti was a community ICE watcher and an ICU nurse. The agents that gunned him down in broad daylight shot him over ten times like cowards!”
Terreros added, “We are here in solidarity with Minnesota! We are also here because our own city has been under attack by ICE agents since Trump took office and this week they have been on a rampage in Santa Ana and Orange County as a whole! We want them out of our city, out of our county.”
Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) member Matthew Compton stated “In Santa Ana we have seen an increase in ICE raids and guns being drawn on ICE watchers. But when Santa Ana PD shows up, they point their weapons at the people who are fighting back against Trump’s agenda.”
“These killings, all this violence will not simply end! We must put a stop to it! We must organize ourselves and collectively fight back! This administration allows for this violence to happen and denies any sort of accountability. So we the people must demand it! We must fight for it,” urged Rain Mendoza of CSO’s Immigration Committee.
Thomas Crisp of Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice (CLUE) stated, “When parents are taken from their children by masked thugs, when Keith Porter or Renee Good is shot for attempting to non-violently resist brutality, these are violations of human dignity.” They also called for a moment of silence while candles and flowers were laid out to honor victims of ICE agents.
Drivers honked in support throughout the event and while protesters marched down Bristol Street. Protesters took up all lanes of traffic and carried signs demanding ICE out of Santa Ana and justice for victims of ICE. Chants of “Chinga la migra!” and “Legalization for all!” echoed through adjacent neighborhoods.
The protest was organized by CSO OC with the support of other local groups including FRSO, CLUE, and more.
CSO fights for community control of the police and legalization for all the undocumented. They hold general meetings every third Thursday in Santa Ana and can be reached on Instagram @cso.oc or on Facebook, CSO Orange County.