Portland, OR – On January 24, immigrant rights organization Portland Contra Las Deportaciones held an emergency rally to protest the murder of Alex Pretti by ICE agents in Minneapolis.

Despite only a few hours’ notice, over 500 participants joined the rally, beginning at Elizabeth Caruthers Park and marching to the Portland ICE facility.

Speeches demanded justice for Alex Pretti and Renee Good, also murdered by ICE. They also demanded the city of Portland take immediate action to revoke the permit for the Portland ICE facility.

When at the Portland ICE facility, protesters occupied the driveway, banging on the doors and boarded-up windows. An industrial trashcan and other objects were pushed against the gate to the building. Protesters chanted, “You are murderers!” at the agents behind the gate.

In response, federal agents deployed chemical weapons on the protesters, such as HC gas, known for its serious health impacts.

The ICE facility is in a residential neighborhood, with an affordable housing complex directly across the street, that has been subject to chemicals like these for months, another reason why PDXCD demands the ICE facility is shut down.

Despite the chemical attacks, protesters maintained the driveway and did not back down. More and more people continued to show up as the night went on.

#PortlandOR #OR #ImmigrantRights #ICE #KillerICE #AlexPretti #ReneeGood #PDXCD