Tacoma marches against Trump and ICE
Tacoma, WA – Over 1000 people gathered in Tacoma’s Firefighters Park, January 25, to protest the racist Trump administration. Protesters waved signs reading, “Fight for workers and immigrants’ rights” and “ICE out of Tacoma” while chants of “One struggle, one fight: immigrant justice, worker’s rights!” filled the air.
Amelia Escobedo of the Brown Berets said, “The reason I'm out here today, even though I'm recovering from a hysterectomy, is that my people matter. Our people matter. And if we're not out here raising our voices, nobody else is going to do it for us.”
Speakers from many of the 25 endorsing organizations rallied with the crowd before taking to the streets. “Fight back!” echoed throughout downtown as the march took a major thoroughfare, marching from the park to the nearby federal building.
“I'm out here in the streets today because I at first was very fearful seeing everything that ICE was doing, like killing people and attacking my people as an indigenous Latina,” said Julia Bobadillo, one of the speakers with the 28th Legislative Democrats. “And so I'm out here because I wanted to not be fearful.”
Bobadillo spoke and offered indigenous drumming and song to a crowd so large it would not fit in the plaza outside the federal building. Protesters spilled into the street to listen to more speakers talk on the importance of immigration justice and the fight for socialism in the United States.
“Trump's escalating attacks on the people make it clearer and clearer that they do not care if they have to kill us to get theirs!” said Moon Gosserand, with Freedom Road Socialist Organization, to an enthusiastic crowd. “To change this system, we don't need small reforms, we need a revolution! We need a party to be built for and by the people! One that stands for the multinational working class!”
This march, which had been planned for over a month, took on a special character in response to yet another murder by ICE agents in Minneapolis that same morning. Many protesters brought their entire families, including babies, children and elders.
“My son came home one day from school asking, ‘Why Is Trump targeting us?’ If I don't fight for my son, these kids, who else is going to fight for them?” said attendee Alfredo Villegas, member of Laborers' Union, “I'm a native of Tacoma, Washington. Native American, also First Nations, and Mexican. And as a member of this community, if there's no voice, then nothing will be seen or heard.”
Amelia Escobedo said, “We have to do it for us. We have to do it for our babies. We have to do it to make sure that our people know that we have their back, because right now we're under attack.” Her husband Chris Escobedo, also with the Brown Berets, added, “We had to show support, because what's happening in the country, especially with the kids getting taken and things like that, it's taking it too far. We’ve got to stop it now.”
“We are going to keep up the fight” said Jami Cortes, one of the lead organizers of the event with Climate Alliance of the South Sound. “We are prepared to march for International Women’s Day, Earth Day, May day, and every day until we see an end to this rotten system and the liberation of the planet and her people.”