Tacoma, WA – More than 250 community members attended a seven-hour protest on Sunday, October 4, on the east side of Tacoma, where heightened ICE presence has terrorized the immigrant community. Organizations including the Puyallup Tribe, the Brown Berets, and Pierce County Immigration Alliance came to support members of the community who had called for a vocal presence rejecting immigration terror and defending the neighborhood from surging ICE patrols.

Many recent abductions have taken place on 72nd street, a major Tacoma arterial lined by taquerias, panaderias and street vendors. In the last week, marked ICE vehicles also started cruising through a shopping plaza parking lot and harassing the workers inside.

Public calls for a demonstration were met by the community, with organizers arriving on the scene as early as 7 a.m. to prepare. Within an hour, a crowd of nearly 100 had formed to wave signs, chant, and put a stop to ICE terror against the community. “My people don’t deserve to live in fear,” said one protester, Gabby Bernal-Amaral, about why she had decided to join the event.

“I have the privilege to speak up for my community,” shared Leanna Esquivel, another attendee. “I want to see a complete overhaul of all the systems that harm the human race. Oppressive systems, racism, xenophobia, have no place here!”

As attendees chanted rounds of “Chinga la migra” and “No están solos,” reports rolled in that several known ICE vehicles were headed towards the plaza. The community sprang into action. As ICE came into sight, the rallygoers blocked the road into the strip mall and yelled for ICE out. Surrounded by the people and outnumbered 40 to 1, one ICE van was forced to reverse back into the street, and two unmarked ICE cars were similarly identified and forced out. Two repeat attempts by ICE to come into the plaza were similarly pushed back, with undaunted protesters chasing down and surrounding the ICE vehicles until they retreated.

The rally continued into the afternoon, with music, food, and an outpouring of community support. Tamales, coffee, pizzas and pastries were brought in by neighbors and the workers of businesses surrounding the rally. The crowd remained steady at roughly 100 attendees throughout the event, with new people consistently arriving to support as others left for work, church, or to take care of children – and passing off their signs to the folks joining in. Over 500 commuters joined the demonstration, honking horns, hanging out of car windows and sunroofs, and raising fists in support of “ICE out!”

“The rally today was a big step in our community’s fight against immigration terror,” said Edgar Alvarez, an organizer with Pierce County Immigration Alliance. “We’ve been canvassing this area and our allies have been patrolling here for months because we know this is a hotspot for ICE’s terrorism, and today the community put their foot down and declared they’ve had enough of the state’s unwarranted violence.”

And this mobilization was just the beginning. Community members are planning to demonstrate again and continue the fight to push ICE out of Tacoma.

“Through actions like this, the community is rapidly learning to fight back,” Edgar continued. “I’m confident that the activists and community members involved will capitalize on this moment. We keep us safe from the thugs that have been plaguing our streets.”

#TacomaWA #WA #ImmigrantRights #ICE

Tacoma, WA – On September 28, 30 people held a vigil for those killed by Tacoma police. This vigil was held in response to a recent killing on September 27. Tacoma police have not released the identity of the man they killed. Attendees were concerned that this would become another cover-up, so they demanded the release of the bodycam footage and officers' accountability if unnecessary force was used.

The event was hosted by the Tacoma Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (TacAARPR). At the beginning of the event, members of the community spoke about other police killings around the area. Jem Trumbly stated, “this is part of a pattern that we know very well. The police kill someone. The investigations into the killing are inadequate. The facts are covered up. The evidence goes missing. Trials drag on for years, and justice is never served.”

Many people in attendance carried signs demanding an end to police killings and accountability for police violence. While information about the most recent killing is still not released, people are worried that whatever evidence is released will be in Tacoma PD’s best interest. Another speaker, Ray Harris, told a similar story, about when his son, Ronald Amir Harris, was murdered in his jail cell before his trial. Ronald’s father was not given access to any of the evidence surrounding Ronald’s murder. Tacoma PD claimed that Ronald’s death was a “suicide.”

During the vigil, Harris told the crowd, “If you want change, you gotta make it happen. I lost my son. But I got no fear. I got none. I got nothing to lose, but I got a lot to gain. I want to make sure what they done to my boy, they do it to no one else, ever again!” Ray continued to speak about how difficult it was to get the evidence that Tacoma PD used in their suicide claims. The true source of Ronald’s death remains hidden from his closest family.

The TacAARPR is helping to build a public pressure campaign to open an investigation into Ronald Harris’s death. You can sign the petition to demand an open investigation into Ronald’s death here: tinyurl.com/justiceforronald

#TacomaWA #WA #InjusticeSystem #PoliceKillings #NAARPR

Seattle, WA – On September 26, around 20 Seattle and South King County residents gathered in the White Center neighborhood to protest the ICE shooting of Wilber Perez, and recent local abductions in the area. The group, organized by King County Immigrant Rights Alliance (KCIRA), marched through the town’s main street, stopping at each of the sites where locals were kidnapped by ICE.

The marching route was unexpectedly diverted when ICE kidnapped someone right around the corner from the demonstration. Marchers hurried to the site. They arrived mere minutes after a man named Ivan was stolen away, finding only his empty car and several locals who were gathered in the parking lot, shouting angrily about what they’d just witnessed.

“It was no more than about ten minutes ago that I came here,” said Flor Chicana, a local musician and activist who happened to be nearby when ICE agents set upon the man’s car. “It was a man named Ivan – he was being taken away and he was calm, he didn’t want anything to happen. He wanted to make sure that he could at least just be alive!”

The kidnapping took place cross the street from another abduction site, a local laundromat staffed and visited primarily by Chicanos in the area. The group stopped to chant outside and listen to a speech by Indira Trejocordova of the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement, while members of KCIRA went into the laundromat to speak with the employees and community members who witnessed the recent abduction.

“We have been coming out time and time again,” said Joseph Ostheller of KCIRA. “It might feel like nothing is changing. ICE activity has even increased! But change comes from consistent effort, and we already see the cracks showing! Take heart, we are still out here, still resisting. A better world is possible, and together we are unstoppable!”

#SeattleWA #WA #ImmigrantRights #ICE #KCIRA #WilberPerez

Seattle, WA – September 16 marked the U.S. government’s 200th day of war on Iran. Hundreds rallied at Pike Place Market in downtown Seattle for the Anti-War Action Network National Day of Action to protest the U.S.-Zionist aggression against Iran.

Over the past 200 days of this illegal war, the United States and Israel have murdered thousands of Iranian men, women and children, while destroying key civilian infrastructure like power plants, bridges, schools, desalination plants, ports and hospitals. People in the U.S. are feeling the economic impacts of this war with high gas prices and the gutting of social services.

The protest was organized by anti-war and advocacy groups, including Seattle Against War, Seattle Families for Palestine, the Hands Off Iran Coalition, the Freedom Road Socialist Organization, and Veterans for Peace, and was endorsed by the National Iranian American Council and About Face Veterans.

Julia Leyla Khorsand, with Seattle Families for Palestine, told the crowd, “Even Iranian-Americans like myself, who have been socialized to criticize and call the Islamic government ‘a regime’, see clearly now. I saw the images of Minab elementary. I saw the bombed-out medicine factory and the universities destroyed. I saw the blocks near my family’s neighborhood in Tehran, and in Tajrish, reduced to rubble.”

Khorsand continued, “I also watched brave Iranians, linking hands, and placing their bodies in front of power stations and life-sustaining infrastructure in hopes that U.S.-imperial forces might show some mercy. And watching them fight for something has radicalized me forever.”

Speaking on behalf of Seattle Against War, Zainab Obaid stated, “The people of Iran are saying that no foreign power gets to decide their future for them. No foreign power gets to plan a coup in their country, assassinate their scientists and leaders, and take over their resources. No foreign power gets to change their system of governance.”

Obaid continued, “The people of Iran are proudly asserting their sovereignty and fighting for their freedom. We should understand that message, because the principle is universal: A country’s future should belong to its people. We demand a stop to the war with Iran.”

Protesters chanted “U.S. hands off foreign soil! No more trading blood for oil!” and held signs stating “Stop Trump’s war on Iran!” and “Money for human needs, not for war.”

#SeattleWA #WA #AntiWarMovement #Iran #SAW #AWAN

Federal Way, WA – On September 14, community members held a vigil for Leon Davis, a 27-year-old Black man who was killed by Federal Way police in the spring. The vigil was attended by his friends and family, as well as the Seattle and Tacoma chapters of the National Alliance Against Racism and Political Repression (SAARPR and TacAARPR), at West Hylebos Wetlands Park.

Davis was killed by Federal Way police in Saint Francis Hospital on March 12. He had checked into the hospital fearing heart issues, but was then killed while being held down by police and hospital staff for roughly 30 minutes.

“It sounds like Federal Way police have a pattern of concerning and racist behavior,” said Chet Baughman, a Teamster Local 174 member. “This isn't the first time they have done something like this; my co-worker knows someone who was shot by police not too long ago in the area.”

The vigil opened with a member of the Seattle Alliance Against Racism and Political Repression talking about the injustice that had occurred with the murder of Leon Davis. Family members then said words and shared memories of their loved one. More of his family members arrived to support each other in this time of grief. People in the crowd passed a sunflower balloon around, signing it with messages to Davis.

Davis's brothers chanted, “Long live Leon,” and the crowd joined in.

“It’s really emotional seeing him. This shouldn't have happened,” said Aife Pasquale, speaking about his uncle Leon.

Davis's murder by the Federal Way police is one of many instances of police killing of Black people across the Puget Sound. This vigil, and the outpouring from the community, shows the outrage towards racist police conduct happening in our region. SAARPR and TacARRPR advocate for community control of the police, with one speaker identifying targets to continue the fight for justice and real community-led solutions to stop the killing.

“Federal Way, it's just, it's sad because we have family that are police and that's in law enforcement. So, for us to see this and to experience it is even more heartbreaking. And it brings up a lot of distrust for us, and just in Black people in general, and people of color as well,” said Shannice Johnson.

Davis's oldest brother stepped up to the microphone and shared memories, highlighting how Leon was the best of them, and the one that they all loved deeply. The crowd then finished writing messages for Leon on the balloon and then handed it to the family, who had all come together. The family gave the balloon to the children and released it, sending it back to him in the sky. His brothers started to chant “Justice for Leon,” and everyone joined in, calling for the balloon to be received by the clouds. Davis's family continues to fight for justice, to fight for transparency around the circumstances of his killing, and demand accountability.

When asked about how her brother was treated, Shannice Johnson said, “They were very negligent in the way that they handled the situation. And there could have been, anybody could have said something in 25 minutes of them doing what they were doing to him. Anyone could have stood up and, you know, stood up for him, and nobody did.”

#FederalWayWA #WA #SeattleWA #TacomaWA #InjusticeSystem #LeonDavis #KillerCop #OppressedNationalities

Seattle, WA – On August 19, members of the Seattle Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (SAARPR) walked into the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office to demand answers from the top cop lawyer, Leesa Manion.

For months, SAARPR has been asking first the county sheriff and then the county prosecutor for transparency and accountability regarding the Seattle Police Department (SPD) shooting and killing of two Black men, Jack Palelei and Christian Nelson, in the last months of 2025.

In both instances, the men were suffering mental health crises. In both instances, the police escalated the situation, whether by shouting commands, driving onto the sidewalk in their police vehicles to give chase, or pulling out assault-style weapons.

The police in Christian Nelson’s case are responsible for shooting Nelson multiple times, as well as shooting into an apartment building and injuring a bystander. Nelson did not hurt anyone; SPD did. Palelei did not hurt anyone; SPD did.

When municipal police kill someone in King County, the King County Sheriff’s Office is supposed to investigate. Local police cannot be trusted to investigate their own officers. The sheriff’s office then sends the investigation files to the King County prosecutor, who decides whether to charge the officers involved.

Jack Palelei met his death at the hands of the Seattle Police Department in November 2025. According to the King County Sheriff’s Office, they forwarded the investigative file on Jack Palelei’s death to the prosecutor’s office in February. The prosecutor’s office claims to have only just received it. If SAARPR had not inquired into the status of Jack’s case, it remains unclear if the prosecutor’s office would even be aware that it had the file at all.

As is typical of high-powered elected officials, King County Prosecutor Leesa Manion was not in her office or available to meet with her constituents. The office staff did not know how to engage with SAARPR members who came to the office. It quickly became clear that it was uncommon to receive visitors from the public asking about investigations into officer-involved shootings. SAARPR members were determined to wait until someone could give concrete information about what the prosecutor’s office is doing with Jack’s case.

Eventually, a prosecutor came into the lobby to speak with SAARPR. Dan Clark. Mr. Clark admitted that he did not know exactly what was being done with Jack Palelei’s case, although he confirmed that the office did have the investigation on file. The prosecutor’s office, including the specific team that reviews police killings, had a backlog of cases. And something that took place at the end of 2025 was not likely to be next in line.

He also admitted that the prosecutor’s office treats cases of police killing people as more “cut and dry.” Those cases are unlikely to result in charges or discipline for the officers because when police claim to fear for their lives, they seem to be able to justify their actions.

Both Jack Palelei and Christian Nelson were armed. Does that mean that their lives are forfeit? Of course, not. If police escalate a situation, should they be able to claim that they had to kill to save their own lives? No. The fight for police accountability cannot be for “perfect victims” alone, especially when the police use racism to justify their actions. The police should not be able to summarily execute anyone.

Sonya Herrera, the chair of the Seattle Alliance, said, “I went to Leesa Manion and the King County Prosecutor’s office to demand transparency in the case of Jack Palelei. This case has been lost and re-found on a number of occasions, and that’s unacceptable. This person was murdered by SPD and did not deserve to die. He was afraid, suffering through a mental health crisis, and SPD chased him in a vehicle on a sidewalk. I would be scared and try to defend myself too. Things are not cut and dry, as prosecutors make it seem. We need to demand more.”

SAARPR will continue to demand three things of the prosecutor: Release the names of the officers involved in these deaths; release unedited bodycam footage so that SPD’s edited footage is not the only public record, and prosecute the officers and get these killer cops off Seattle’s streets.

#SeattleWA #WA #InjusticeSystem #KillerCop #OppressedNationalities #JackPalelei #ChristianNelson #SAARPR

Tacoma, WA – The Tacoma Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (TACAARPR) held a film screening of The Alabama Solution on August 29, as a part of the fight for justice for Ronald Amir Harris.

Ronald Harris, a 23-year-old Black man, was found dead in his cell in Pierce County Jail before his trial in 2022. The county ruled it a suicide but refused to provide any evidence or do an investigation, leading many to conclude he was murdered by prison guards.

“May 2, 2022 changed my life. This was the day that I found out my son was murdered. Even though the judicial system claims that my son committed suicide, there was no evidence to support that,” explained Ray Charles Harris. “In fact, there's more evidence to support that my son was murdered.”

The Alabama Solution is a documentary that exposes what many Black Americans are already well aware of: prison guards murder and politically repress prisoners all over this country. These killer prison guards are protected by the judicial system and typically get away with excessive force and murder.

“Ronald Amir was never convicted of a crime; he was killed before he ever got to court. An unconvicted individual who died in custody under suspicious circumstances,” stated Tanderlon Carter, longtime friend to Ray Harris and beloved community member. “This statement is to be used towards the focus on the denial of due process, and the fight for truth. Let us plan to use a special approach by protesting with signs and social media for the lack of accountability, and fight for the structure of truth.”

The Tacoma Alliance has launched a petition demanding an investigation into Ronald Harris’s death by the Washington Office of Independent Investigation. They are demanding the evidence in Ronald Harris’s death be released to his father, something Pierce County has refused to do. Many Freedom of Information Act requests have been denied, some remaining in a “pending” status for over nine months.

“If they have nothing to hide, why won’t they release the photos or location of his death to his father?” asked Moon Gosserand. “If anyone else died under these circumstances there would be an investigation, but, because it’s likely that a prison guard or officer committed the crime, the county is covering it up.”

Gosserand’s claim is well supported by national trends exposed in the film. Similar deaths were covered up in Alabama. Often these deaths are politically motivated.

“Pierce County prosecutors, in order to frame me for a crime that I did not do, they impersonated themselves as a doctor and a nurse and got on the stand and committed perjury in order to get a false conviction on me,” Ray Harris explained, “Four years later, Ronald decided to file a complaint on the station.”

Ray Harris and TACAARPR believe that the open legal case against Pierce County prosecutors was a political motivator in the murder of Ronald Harris.

“Ronald Amir was never given his day in court. However, the system became his judge, jury, and the executioner of an unconvicted human being. Ronald Amir left silenced. We demand the truth. They called it suicide to close the case. Although a life stolen and a trial denied, therefore innocent until proven guilty, unless he dies behind closed doors,” spoke long-time friend Carter.

Ronald Harris’s death is sadly not the only one of its kind in Pierce County. Innocent people are killed by police or prison guards at an alarming frequency, like Manny Ellis or Rhoda Butler. TACAARPR is continuing to fight for full community control of the police to prevent more cases like this, and to ensure greater justice for those already impacted.

“They want us to believe that he gave up on life before he was to ever give himself a chance to fight for his innocence. We refuse to accept the depth of this narrative written by the very walls that failed to protect him. This system has committed an unforgivable injustice that fails the law of the constitution for Ronald Amir Harris,” Carter concluded.

Ray Harris was clear that TACAARPR would not rest until they have won justice, “We have to find out what happened to my son, and we have to stop anybody else from dying under his circumstances.”

#TacomaWA #WA #InjusticeSystem #RonaldAmirHarris #TACAARPR #TheAlabamaSolution

Seattle, WA – On Saturday, August 15, dozens gathered outside Embassy Suites Hotel to picket in support of hotel workers with UNITE HERE Local 8. The workers have been negotiating their contract for six months and have been on strike for 59 days.

The strike began on June 12 after Embassy Suites repeatedly failed to meet workers' demands, which included year-round healthcare, higher wage increases and protection from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The organizers of the picket said that negotiations with the company have been difficult and unproductive.

“Unfortunately, the hotel did not engage in good faith negotiations with the staff,” said Gabe Rubliovschi, a hotel worker at Embassy Suites and organizer with Unite Here Local 8, “12 days into the strike, they came to the table with the exact same offer of a 40-cent increase over the next six months.”

Many UNITE HERE hotel workers across the country went on strike in 2024 and won between $9 and $10 raises over a contract period of four years. The Embassy Suites workers’ wage demands are in line with other unionized hotels in the area.

Hayden Eyerly, a front desk agent with Embassy Suites, confirmed the story, saying that the company, “called us back to the negotiation table on day 12, and we were expecting a new offer of some sort. But they were assuming we’d have a new offer ready, when our response to their previous offer was to go on strike! So, it was a big waste of time, but it made it a whole lot easier to come back out here and yell at them.”

“As someone who started working here before the pandemic, we’ve seen staffing levels cut in half from what they used to be,” said Jus Adsuara, a Local 8 Vice President and hotel worker. “I’m doing twice as much work compared to before the pandemic, but my wage definitely hasn’t doubled.”

Staffing at hotels nationwide has not returned to its pre-pandemic levels. Additionally, Seattle’s hospitality industry is reeling from decreases in Canadian travelers, some of which have been attributed to Trump’s oppressive immigration policies.

Adsuara further explained, “We are really concerned about the presence of ICE in our city, and we want the right to be notified and the right to stay home if ICE is near the building.”

One-third of hotel workers nationally are immigrants; about 3 million immigrants work in hospitality. Hotel workers in Minneapolis have won protections from ICE, which Embassy Suites workers look to as an example.

As cries of “If we don’t get no contract, you won’t get no sleep” echoed throughout the picket, Jus had one more message for management: “We’ll be out here as long as it takes. We’ve said that from the very beginning, and we really mean it.”

#SeattleWA #WA #Labor #Strike #UniteHereLocal8 #HotelWorkers

Kent, WA – On Friday, July 31, 12 anti-war activists held an action at U.S. Representative Adam Smith’s district office to demand that he take material action to stop funding wars and to cut ties with Israel. Smith is behind the House of Representatives’ most recent National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) containing Section 219, which formally integrates the U.S. and the Israeli militaries.

This protest comes after Smith’s symbolic vote against the NDAA, a war funding bill he co-authored and co-sponsored. Activists emphasized that Representative Smith’s so-called “doomed-to-fail” vote is nothing more than an attempt to deceive nearly 800,000 voters ahead of a critical election into believing that he is against funding Israel and the Iran War.

Two activists attempted to deliver Seattle Against War’s petition to the office. When they arrived, the office appeared to be closed, which is unusual for a public office during office hours. The petition, with over 1400 signatures from community members, demands that Smith use his powers as Congressman and ranking member of the Armed Services Committee to take action to end all aid to Israel, end the war in Iran, and hold U.S. and Israel accountable for war crimes.

Other activists joined the petition deliverers inside the building and brought the rally to Smith’s office doorstep. Rae Lee, a member of Seattle Against War stated, “He performs support for queer communities as a clear pinkwashing tactic to paint a picture of himself as an ally. That is fucking gross, and we need to call it out when we see it. He uses BIPOC communities as PR opportunities, the pittances he leaks to struggling grassroots groups to divert our attention away from the literal billions being used for senseless wars.

Section 219, which protesters are calling attention to, enables Israel’s unfettered use of U.S. military resources, including a permanent Pentagon position to synchronize Israeli and U.S. military initiatives, an open-ended technology deal, and the ability to deploy U.S. troops to carry out their genocide against Palestinians.

Protesters then canvassed and distributed flyers at the neighboring offices in the building to raise awareness of Smith’s crimes and his recent attempt to merge the U.S. and Israeli militaries, until they were escorted by building security.

The rally continued outside the building, where activists continued to amplify demands and slogans such as “No war in Iran” and “Stop funding Israel.”

#KentWA #SeattleWA #WA #AntiWarMovement #Palestine #AdamSmith

Tacoma, WA – On Sunday, July 26, more than 30 community members rallied in the summer heat to demand the release of Felix Alvarez Ponce and all those detained at the Northwest Detention Center (NWDC). The protest marks the fifth month that Felix Ponce Alvarez has been detained in the NWDC, and of his fighting his detention.

The rally began with the crowd chanting their demand to “Free Felix!” and “Free them all.” The chants became so loud that Ponce called and told his family that he could hear the crowd inside the detention center.

Lane Parish, an organizer with Pierce County Immigration Alliance, shared the words Alvarez asked to be shared with the crowd. “Inside this detention center, conditions are poor. Many people get sick often, who were healthy before. I have been sick four times since February. The guards are often cruel, intentionally humiliating the people here.”

Parish also shared on behalf of Alvarez the impact his detention had on his family and community, including missing his brother’s passing, family birthdays, holidays, weddings, graduation and several months of his daughter’s first year of life.

“If someone asked me if I believe ICE and GEO facilities should be shut down, my answer is yes, I say 10,000 times, yes,” stated Parish.

This action is only the most recent of a long history of community organization against the NWDC.

Joseph Ostheller, a member of FRSO’s Seattle district, chronicled the detention center's origins and its track record of inhumane treatment, stating, “This concentration camp – the Northwest Detention Center – broke ground in 2004 to serve a then-new agency in the U.S. Government: Immigration and Customs Enforcement. It has been right here in Tacoma through five presidential administrations, four mayors, and truly countless abductions.”

“GEO Group brought in $2.6 billion last year on imprisoning our neighbors – and profits of $254 million,” Ostheller continued. “These profits were scraped out of our community by charge-by-the-minute phone calls, inedible food, medical neglect, and even forcing detainees to work inside the facility for less than a dollar a day.”

The immigrant community in Tacoma, along with the other major cities in the U.S., has been hard at work in response to the recent surge of ICE activity that is a result of the DHS ordering an increase of daily detentions to 2000 arrests a day, a doubling of the previous quota ICE was carrying out.

Anyelia Brown, who spoke on behalf of the local Adopt a Corner group and the rapid response network, stated, “Several of our community members right here in Tacoma have been taken by ICE from the South Tacoma Home Depot while looking for work and trying to provide for their families. These are skilled laborers, longtime community members, and hard workers who are just trying to get by while navigating language barriers, wage theft, health issues and immigration terror.”

Organizers across the U.S. have been documenting similar patterns regarding the operations of ICE’s immigration terror. In contrast to the mass arrests prevalent during the start of Trump's deportation campaign, ICE has switched to tactics that bring less attention to the news, opting to detain civilians through traffic stops and the interception of individuals attending court, or in areas with sparse density to avoid being tracked. Felix is among these individuals who were unlawfully brought into detention while going through his immigration hearings.

Catelynn Henion, an organizer with the Pierce County Immigration Alliance, spoke against the fear tactics that ICE implements with their operations, “I know that our neighbors should not be locked inside a detention center. I know that our neighbors shouldn’t be gunned down in the street by ICE. I know that people deserve dignity and a life where they don’t live in fear that they will be locked up in a place where people are abused and not given adequate access to medical care. I know that the people locked up inside this detention center are workers, parents, friends, family. I know the loss of them in our community is felt deeply and widely.”

Catelynn Henion stated, “It is regular people, people like Felix, people like you, people like me, that will make a change. Not once has the city, the state, or the federal government given us anything because they felt like it! Everything we have won is because ordinary people fought for it!”

#TacomaWA #WA #ImmigrantRights #ICE

Tacoma, WA – Community members gathered in People’s Park to honor the memory of victims of police violence on Friday, June 19.

The event was organized by the Tacoma chapter of the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (TacAARPR), a newly-formed group aiming to achieve civilian oversight of local law enforcement agencies.

TacAARPR is seeking justice for Rhoda Butler, a 61-year-old woman suffering dementia who was fatally shot by a TPD SWAT team in January 2024. One of her killers, Aaron McNeely, sits on a board that investigates police-involved shootings. This board conveniently cleared McNeely of any wrongdoing.

In attendance was a contingent of activists led by James Rideout, whose niece, Jacqueline Salyers, a Puyallup tribal member, was killed by TPD in 2016. Of the slaying, Rideout expressed, “You don't want to know how this feels, and unfortunately, my family, through Jackie, does know.” Rideout has been involved in the decade-long Justice for Jackie campaign, which has culminated in a lawsuit brought against the city of Tacoma. Right now, this case is being heard by the Washington Supreme Court. He added, “We never gave up, and that gives the citizens hope. Your issue is everyone’s issue.”

Attendees also paid their respects to Kohen Wiley, a one-year-old boy shot by police in Mississippi on June 14 over false allegations that his family members had stolen diapers from a local Walmart, when they were in fact bought and paid for.

A local passerby, who ended up sticking around for the length of the program, said of the proceedings, “The police make it clear over and over that they won't hold themselves accountable, so the only way we can see justice is to get community oversight.”

#TacomaWA #WA #InJusticeSystem #Juneteenth #OppressedNationalities #AfricanAmerican

Seattle, WA – On June 26, the day of the World Cup Iran–Egypt match, the Hands Off Iran Coalition organized a flash action in the form of an anti-war “People’s Football Game” in the middle of a packed street within view of the main stadium.

The lively protest broadcasted the demand “Kick Israel out of FIFA!” through signs, banners, chants and song. In a press release sent out in the lead-up to the action, Hands Off Iran Coalition organizers condemned FIFA’s participation in Trump’s “Board of Peace,” where FIFA released an AI-generated video in February 2026 depicting football stadiums rising out of the rubble of destroyed homes in Gaza.

“From the streets to the stadiums,” the press release said, “the game of football was built by communities, fans and generations of ordinary people. We reject FIFA’s use of the game for ‘sportswashing’ to normalize oppression and injustice.”

The football pitch was erected by creating an unbroken perimeter of anti-war and anti-imperialist banners held by organizers and activists. Ad hoc teams of three players competed in a “queen of the hill” style tournament, with team names like “Right to Rebel,” “Strait of Hormuz” and “The People’s Team.”

Football fans passing the pitch stopped to watch the People’s Game, with many asking how they could sign up to play. New teams were created and joined the tournament on the spot, with some teams representing countries including Mexico and Italy.

The People’s Game was a new type of protest for Seattle, with an emphasis on meeting people where they are and reclaiming a sport that rightfully belongs to the masses and not to pro-imperialist, pro-Trump FIFA. At the same time, the event brought sharp anti-imperialist messaging, demanding an end to the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran and justice for the victims of Israel’s genocidal campaigns in Gaza and south Lebanon.

#SeattleWA #WA #AntiWarMovement #FIFA #WorldCup #PeoplesStruggles #Palestine #Iran

Tacoma, WA – 15 Portland for Palestine organizers traveled up to the Northwest Detention Center (NWDC) in Tacoma, Washington on Saturday, June 13. Portland for Palestine (P4P) was there to promote their ongoing campaign to help free a local Palestinian immigrant Tareq Zakarneh, a man who has been in ICE detention for over two years.

These organizers joined the Tacoma-based immigrant rights group La Resistencia for one of its regularly-held “Solidarity Days.” Overall, there were about 50 people in attendance.

Zakarneh has mostly been held at the NWDC, though recently DHS and ICE have been trying to break his resolve and remove him from the U.S. The U.S. does not recognize Palestinian statehood, so he is in danger of being deported to Israel. Any Palestinian deportee in the hands of the Israeli authorities is in grave danger as Israel pushes to complete their project of ethnic cleansing in the region.

P4P wanted to make sure that DHS’s underhanded, illegal tactics don’t go unnoticed with regards to Zakarneh, and tragically, so many other immigrants. Since his removal from NWDC on June 2, ICE has made Zakarneh impossible to track and taken away his rights to communication with the outside world.

On June 5, P4P mobilized and conducted an emergency call-in campaign to Judge David Estudillo’s office to demand he allow Tareq the rights of due process. And it worked! A last-second order issued by the Washington judge got Zakarneh pulled off his final deportation flight while he was waiting to board early in the morning on June 9.

The group further mobilized to show solidarity with detainees still unjustly locked away in NWDC. They also sought to send a message to the facility’s operators, the infamous GEO Group.

Kacey Desantis, organizer for P4P, commented on the conditions in NWDC and others. From her speech delivered that day, “Tareq has often told us of the atrocious quality of the food and water and about how ICE would not give Tareq nor his fellow Muslim detainees the appropriate time and space to practice their religion. On hot days, there is often no air conditioning. He was denied access to legal materials and legal representation on multiple occasions. When Tareq was detained in a facility in Eloy, Arizona, he was denied his right to meet with lawyers at least six times.”

Zakarneh often found himself a target of extraordinary abuse and deprivation by ICE and the operators of these facilities. Why? In their own words, they deem him a “nuisance” for daring to engage in jailhouse lawyering. Not only is he extremely active in fighting in his own defense, but he has been critical in helping, with self-filed motions, to ultimately get several of his fellow detainees released. The more he helped others, the more ICE would attempt to isolate him.

At the event, organizer Cole Dunahugh said, “We demand that Tareq be brought back to the NWDC so he can be allowed to argue his case in person in front of a judge, that he be granted asylum, and that he be released from ICE detention.”

It is critical that we stand up to protect immigrants of all nationalities. But Palestinians require special attention as ICE deports them exclusively to Tel Aviv, where they face possible long-term internment, torture and even extra-judicial execution.

Desantis closed out her speech, “The ICE facilities in this country and the Israeli prisons that Tareq faces are connected. The violence of the American immigration system and the apartheid system that is killing Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank are connected. They are connected by an imperial system that inflicts and promotes violence abroad, learns the best ways to do it and brings it home to the U.S.”

#TacomaWA #WA #ImmigrantRights #Palestine #P4P

Olympia, WA – Early Thursday morning, June 11, several dozen Puyallup tribal members and supporters filled the courthouse for Jacqueline Salyers’ case, which was escalated to the state Supreme Court. Salyers was murdered by Tacoma police officers in 2016, and her family, tribe and community has been fighting for justice ever since.

As tribal members entered the courthouse, their drums and rattles were confiscated due to a rule implemented just that morning against instruments in chambers. The courtroom quickly reached capacity. The state employees explained there was no plan to accommodate the number of people present to support the case. This left many supporters forced to watch the proceedings from a makeshift overflow room in the basement and away from the victim’s family.

“It’s very convenient how they can change the rules at a whim to silence us,” said Osage tribal member Gemini Gnull, who was there as a member of the Tacoma Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (TACAARPR). “They kill our family members and think we won’t fight back. When we do fight back, they try to separate us, shove us in the basement, and take away our drums. It’s bare-faced repression.”

The case was between the city of Tacoma and the Salyer’s family. Salyer was represented in person by many living relatives including her mother Lisa Earl Rideout. During proceedings, the city of Tacoma acknowledged they were responsible for the murder of Salyers, since the officer who killed her, Scott Campbell, was a city employee. The city also knew the offending officer, Campbell, had a history of violent crimes but had not been removed from duty. This hearing was to determine if Salyers’ family would be allowed to sue for both negligence in the city’s retaining the killer cop as well as for the murder itself.

This court case comes from many years of fighting for “Justice for Jackie,” a phrase found on shirts that filled the court and basement over-flow room. Banners that also bore this slogan were not allowed in the building. Puyallup tribal member and former tribal council member James “Jim Jim” Rideout explained how they had been able to fight and win better legislation to persecute killer cops in the state of Washington.

Rideout stated, “It was a constant fight from beginning to end. And you know, when it passed, it passed by 60% in Washington state. I might add, it's the first time in the history of the United States that any excessive use of force law had ever been passed.”

Rideout was referring to HB 3003. Through Initiative 940, they gathered over 100,000 signatures for the measure, and it successfully passed by 60% in 2018.

“The really only thing that we could do is fight, to fight for justice and stand in solidarity with all the victims that came to our tribe,” Rideout said.

After an hour, the Supreme Court judges moved on to another case. They will make a determination at a later time. The tribal and community members collected their drums and formed a large circle outside where they drummed, prayed and discussed what justice for the community could look like. A common theme was the need for all people to come together to stand up for victims of police and state violence.

Loretta Gutierrez-Sacks was one of many people who fought to get Initiative 940 passed stated, “It's been ten years, it's come a long way, and it's just not about Jackie, it's about justice for all.” She emphasized how the coalition had begun as a fight for Jackie Salyer but quickly grew. “It was a lot of labor, but today we stand here at the Supreme Court, and moving forward, and we'll move forward again if we have to.”

Despite the improvements to the law, many Washingtonians are still killed by the police every year. “We’ve come a long way, and we have a long way to go,” continued Gnull. “We are still fighting for justice for Rhoda too. And we won’t stop fighting until we have full community control of the police.”

Gnull was referring to Rhoda Butler, a 61-year-old grandmother who was shot and killed by Aaron McNeely in Tacoma in 2024. Many other impacted family members spoke out, emphasizing the importance of showing solidarity.

Ahbead Soot, Puyallup tribal member and daughter of Ramona Bennet and Clyde Thomas Bill, spoke to the importance of this case. “I'm really grateful that we can all come out and show up together and like they were saying, together, united we'll never be defeated and we're stronger together.” She continued, “I'm grateful today that we have our day in court. They have their day in court. We can all get justice some way or another, or even just recognition, apology, something, you know. Instead of just trying to sweep it under the rug. It'll be a beautiful thing, and then to have it happen and have all these warriors, these Indian warriors here. All of us warriors, you know, we're all ready. We're all standing here. We're ready for the good fight and I'm grateful to see that I witnessed that today.”

#OlympiaWA #WA #PuyallupTribe #JacquelineSalyers #OppressedNationalities

Seattle, WA – Activists from Seattle’s Hands Off Iran Coalition held an emergency rally in downtown Seattle at Westlake Park on June 8 to oppose Israel’s latest attacks on Lebanon and Iran. The rally was organized after Israel violated the ceasefire that has been in effect since April, by bombing Dahiya, a southern suburb of Lebanon’s capital Beirut. The rally began at three light rail stations across the city, before all groups converged in Westlake at 6 p.m.

Despite heavy rain, the coalition, consisting of seven grassroots anti-imperialist organizations based in Seattle, had a significant turnout of at least 40 protesters, who carried flags, set up tables, and delivered speeches and chants using amplified speakers.

The organizations in attendance as part of the Coalition included Seattle Against War, Nidal Seattle, the Freedom Road Socialist Organization, Super UW, Seattle University Students for Justice in Palestine, Seattle Revolutionary Youth, and the Seattle Democratic Socialists of America.

A number of passersby joined the protest to announce their support, take photos, and learn more about the organizations involved in the coalition. An even greater number of cars honked their horns in support as they were stopped at red lights right next to the park. With lots of public support, the energy remained high for the duration of the event. Speakers not only condemned the imperialist aggression against west Asia, but also celebrated the resistance, who they declared shared the same common enemy with the people of the United States: the monopoly capitalist class.

FRSO’s speaker Izzy McCabe stated, “When the resistance fights, they do not just fight for Iran, they fight for you. Every military base Iran flattens hurts the boss that yells at you. Every tank the Lebanese resistance destroys hurts the landlord that refuses to repair your apartment. Every inch of land that the Palestinian resistance defends strikes a blow against the politicians that steal from you.”

The other speakers from the Hands Off Iran Coalition stressed that now is the time to organize within your community. “The time to strike is when your enemy is weakest,” said Nolan Good of Seattle Against War. “Now is the time to fight back. And the only way that we can fight back is to get organized. Our enemies fear us because history shows that when we fight, we win!”

#SeattleWA #WA #AntiWarMovement #Iran #SHOIC #SAW

Tacoma, WA – A dozen people gathered along the fence of U.S. Oil & Refining Co on Wednesday, May 27 in an emergency picket and vigil for the 11 people killed in the Longview paper mill disaster. Signs with statements like “Clean it up or shut it down,” “Justice for the Longview 11” and “System change not climate change” waved as attendees picketed the back gate.

This emergency event was called by Climate Alliance of the South Sound (CASS) in response to one of the deadliest industrial accidents in Washington state history. On Tuesday, May 26, a paper mill chemical vat imploded, killing ten workers and wounding several more; at least one of whom has since died from their injuries. The paper mill, owned by multi-million dollar company Nippon Dynawave Packaging Co., was severely out of compliance with state and federal regulations.

Dez Chalfant, rank-and-file worker with UFCW 367 and delegate of the Pierce County Central Labor council, stated, “Nippon Dynawave has had a history of non-compliance with environmental and safety regulations. They were fined for their noncompliance, and despite that, they still gambled with the lives of their employees and allowed this tragedy to occur. They risked the lives of their workers and polluted the environment in their own self-interest.”

Attendees highlighted how the U.S. Oil & Refining Co. in the Port of Tacoma is also out of compliance. Picketers chanted, “Noncompliance causes deaths, U.S. Oil could be next!” drawing a clear connection between U.S. Oil & Refining and Nippon Dynawave Packaging Co.

“We've had, for decades and decades, up until 2023, a paper mill virtually identical in our backyard. We have the same pollutants as Longview does,” CASS member Cora Swindale said, further connecting Tacoma and Longview. “So it feels like there's a lot of parallels, and it feels like there's a lot of ways where this tragedy could have happened here.”

All 11 of the workers killed were union workers with AWPPW Local 580. Four of the identified people killed — Gilbert Bernal, Dillon Miller, Jared Ammons and CJ Doran — were fathers, some with very young children and pregnant wives.

“Many of us in Climate Alliance come from working-class families. I myself come from a blue-collar family, and so it's really sobering to be reminded of the fact that so many of our loved ones can go to work and not come home, and that shouldn't be the case,” Jami Nelson-Cortes explained. “We shouldn't have to be sacrificing worker safety for profit, especially when many of our parents are the sole income for our family or the main income for our family.”

The U.S. Oil & Refining Co. is on the Puyallup Tribe of Indians’ reservation, but under the jurisdiction of the Tacoma Port Commission due to laws passed in 1918. As of 2025, the elected port commission has been deemed legally responsible for the pollution of tenants in the port.

After several speeches highlighting the connection between workers’ rights, climate justice and indigenous sovereignty, including several songs to honor the killed workers, attendees resumed the picket. Chants including “One struggle, one fight! Climate justice, worker’s rights!” “Cut the carbon emissions, empower the climate commission” and “Gilbert Bernal, say his name, non-compliance is to blame!” filled the air.

“Everywhere we look, we see protections and regulations that are meant to prevent these things being stripped back. It's really clear that they don't care about us, so it's time to stand up and fight back,” Swindale stated.

The Climate Alliance of the South Sound is demanding that the acting port commission, including John McCarthy, shut down U.S. Oil and Refining Co. until they can achieve full compliance, including full compensation for all workers who lose work due to this noncompliance.

The emcee of the event, Justine Racine, tied these demands into CASS’s broader campaign for a community-controlled climate commission. “We at CASS stand in solidarity with the people of Longview and demand that Nippon Dynawave compensate the families affected, and for Nippon Dynawave to meet the environmental standards and safety standards they grossly neglect, and we demand a community-controlled climate commission in Tacoma that can keep companies in Tacoma compliant to environmental standards.”

#TacomaWA #WA #LongviewPaperMill #Labor #WorkerSafety #PeoplesStruggles

Seattle, WA – On May 25, George Floyd Day, a day for drawing attention to police brutality, the Seattle Alliance against Racist and Political Repression (SAARPR) led a rally and march through the streets of South Seattle to demand justice for Christian Nelson and Jack Paleli.

In September 2025, Seattle’s federal consent decree was lifted after 13 years. The consent decree was an order placed on the Seattle Police Department in 2012 by the federal government to force them to report to and be reviewed by the federal government due to their excessive use of force and brutality. Not even three months after the decree was lifted, SPD had already killed two men. Those men were Christian Nelson and Jack Paleli. Both were suffering through mental health crises when they were killed.

The Seattle Alliance refused to ignore their murders and has been campaigning for justice for Christian Nelson and Jack Paleli since they were killed.

The march began near the Othello light rail station, where Christian Nelson was killed, and kicked off with speeches from allied organizations.

Elaine Simons, a member of the Washington Coalition for Police Accountability and the foster mother of Jesse Sarey, who was killed by former Auburn Police Officer Jeffrey Nelson, said, “They are killing our loved ones here in our state, and we have to remember that we need to be united.”

Though the rain was pouring, the energy was high. Just before the march officially got moving, SAARPR member Jonathan Toledo read a statement from Christian Nelson’s mother, Amanda, in which she said about her son, “My son promoted love. My son was a bridge to bring people together. My son is not the lies that have been portrayed; he is more than that.” Christian Nelson and Jack Paleli deserved to live.

Fueled by this injustice, the march kicked off and chanted all the way to the SPD South Precinct building. At the front of the march was a banner that read “Justice for Christian Nelson & Jack Paleli!” and passing cars honked their support. When the march reached the police building, it congregated in front as the last speeches were given.

The final speech was given by a SAARPR member who said, “As an immigrant, I was never surprised by how deeply repression runs in the U.S. But the level of repression and racist violence under the guise of safety that people experience here has shocked me to my core. So far this year, the police have killed 466 victims across the U.S., 14 of those here in Washington, and three of them here in Seattle. If our representatives and officials care, why are these officers not jailed? They should be held accountable.”

#SeattleWA #WA #ChristianNelson #JackPaleli #SAARPR #InjusticeSystem

Bellevue, WA – On Tuesday evening, May 2, the Bellevue City Council voted to adopt an ordinance making protests at U.S. Congressman Adam Smith’s house illegal. The ordinance changes the city’s definition of criminal conduct to include targeted residential protests.

The ordinance states that any gathering of people “with four or more persons” in a protest that is “targeted, directed or focused at a particular occupant of the residence” would be a gross misdemeanor. “Protest means any protest, demonstration or picketing activity including but not limited to marching, congregating, standing, posting, parading, demonstrating, picketing, with our without signs, with or without making audible or amplified noise.” A gross misdemeanor of this kind can carry a year-long jail sentence and a $5000 fine.

This ordinance comes after a sustained campaign against Adam Smith, House representative for Washington’s 9th congressional district. In protest of Smith’s failure to halt the flow of U.S. military aid to Israel or to withhold U.S. taxpayer dollars from being spent on Trump’s war on Iran, members of Seattle Against War, Troublemakers, and BDS Seattle, with support from other community members, have repeatedly shown up at Smith’s house in Bellevue to present their demands.

The protests in the rich Bellevue suburb were protected under First Amendment rights to protest, occurred during daylight hours, and abided by the noise ordinances against the use of amplified sound. Protesters held up banners that read, “Your rep funds genocide!” and signs that call out Adam Smith as a warmonger and a war profiteer.

Speaking against the ordinance at the city council meeting, Joseph Ostheller, a member of Seattle Against War, said, “We have been to his office, which he is never in. We have been to his town halls, which he censors. We have been to his speaking events, which he releases without adequate time to attend. He has systematically closed off all avenues for us to speak to him directly and to have our concerns heard. The escalation to be at his house is because he leaves us no other options.”

Zionists packed the city council meeting to support the ordinance. One speaker for the ordinance, who called himself David E., said he was a proud Zionist. The president of the HOA in Adam Smith’s neighborhood, claimed falsely that protesters “were like a mob, using blow horns at 2 a.m.” The composition of the meeting, Zionists and rich neighbors of Adam Smith, showed this ordinance was dreamt up by a small group of people in power using their connections to weaponize the legal processes. The ordinance is in direct response to the targeted protests against Adam Smith, and he has called in his Zionist friends and the city council to construct another barrier between the people in power and those impacted by their decisions.

The city attorney spoke to the council and explained to them how the ordinance was drafted and the legal rationale for its implementation. The city manager and the city attorney were asked to come up with this ordinance to criminalize free speech on behalf of “those affected.”

After the comment period, the Zionists and their allies left the meeting, not staying the extra two hours until the study session and the subsequent vote on the issue. Activists against the ordinance stayed until the very end, when the council read out the reasons why they were voting to shut down people’s democratic right to protest.

One council member, Lynne Robinson, said, without providing detail, “I have been the target of harassment and know how scary it can be.” It goes without saying that even before this ordinance passed, targeted harassment, stalking, and death threats were all already illegal. Another council member, Claire Sumadiwirya, said, “This is such a hard decision, but I have to protect my family,” even though they had not been the target of any such protests. Both voted in favor of the ordinance.

The ordinance will go into effect in one month.

Activists were not surprised by the result, as city council meetings are notoriously opaque. The real decisions are often made behind closed doors, with public comment being performative at best. Nevertheless, activists left in high spirits, because these attacks only show how weak and afraid those in power really are in the face of the power of the people.

Protests at Smith’s home will continue, bigger and louder than before, until the ordinance takes effect in June. Seattle Against War will also be exploring every avenue to challenge this new roadblock.

#BellevueWA #WA #SeattleAgainstWar #PeoplesStruggles #AntiWarMovement

Tacoma, WA – Over 20 community members came together, May 16, to do a canvassing blitz to fight for a stronger climate commission. The crowd gathered around 1 p.m. chanting, “One struggle, one fight! Climate justice, workers’ rights!” and how they would “Stand up and fight back!” against pollution.

One volunteer from Climate Alliance of the South Sound (CASS), Claire Thomas, commented, “The people of Tacoma should have a say in how their environment looks and how green their spaces are, and what's poisoning their land and what isn't.”

People gathered before canvassing for a rally with music and speeches. The speakers highlighted the local U.S. Oil refinery that has been out of compliance with the Clean Water Act (CWA) for over three years. That means polluted storm water runs directly into the local waterway, contaminating water and wildlife.

“We are fighting for indigenous sovereignty, and our main focus is the businesses that are polluting our waterways,” another attendee said, referring to the fact that the U.S. Oil refinery is on the Puyallup Tribe of Indians reservation.

Local president of the Port of Tacoma Commission, John McCarthy, was identified by the emcee as an important target in the fight against water pollution. Attendees emphasized how a strong Climate Commission should be able to enforce the existing laws, including the CWA that is being ignored by U.S. Oil.

“Having a community-controlled climate commission would be pivotal for Tacoma and change the dynamics of who controls the health and wellbeing of our very own community. Tacomans would have a direct say in who is safeguarding public health,” said the event's day-of lead Abbie Baughman.

Despite shifting weather conditions, the people who canvassed showed endurance and passion by blitzing an eight-block radius around a local park. Canvassers gathered sheets of signatures for the petition for a strong climate commission.

Baughman summed up the community’s demands, saying, “I want the climate commission to enforce science-based limitations on corporate pollution and zoning laws that leave Tacoma’s marginalized communities at the mercy of the highest corporate bidder. Real estate development that is bad for the people is permitted under the guise of bringing jobs, and improving the local economy, and those things do not have to happen at the expense of Tacoma’s health and tree canopy.”

#TacomaWA #WA #Environment #CASS

Tacoma, WA – Several hundred people took to the streets of Tacoma on May 1 to rally for immigrants and workers’ rights. The crowd gathered around 4 p.m. and began chanting with messages such as “Stand up and shut it down, Tacoma is a union town!” and “Power to the people! No one is illegal!” Energy was high, and the mood of the event was celebratory.

The rally opened on Tacoma’s downtown Theater Plaza, with speeches from union members, immigrant rights activists, and tenant organizers. Nearly 40 organizations endorsed the event, including Teamsters Local 117, Washington State Nurses Association, Indivisible Tacoma, Freedom Road Socialist Organization, Malaya Tacoma, and many more.

“I think May Day is the sickest holiday ever created,” said one attendee, Edgar Alvarez. “I’m here to contribute to the workers’ movement first and foremost. We’re in a spot right now where we need to start building momentum.”

The program at Theater Square concluded with a performance of Solidarity Forever by local protest band Bugs for Change. The crowd then moved into the street and marched first up the hill to Tacoma City Hall.

The crowd continued with chants such as “Union jobs and education, we will fight for liberation!” and “Stop the deportations!”

“Immigrant workers were on the front lines of the Haymarket affair, they were on the front lines of the 2006 megamarches and continue to be on the front lines of labor struggles across the country,” said Rie Guerrero of Pierce County Immigration Alliance. “The reason we’re stopping here at Tacoma City Hall is because one of the entities reaping profits from the abuse of our immigrant neighbors is our very own city government. The city of Tacoma has invested its retirement system in a mutual fund that has holdings in GEO Group, meaning it has banked its employees' financial futures on the continued profitability of concentration camps like the Northwest Detention Center.”

After that rousing speech, the crowd marched back down the hill towards the Northwest Detention Center (NWDC).

“We’re marching to demand justice for the immigrants that are in detainment in the NWDC,” said Moon Gosserand, emcee of the coalition event. “We must always, even if we don’t know them personally, stand up for the people that need it.”

The planned route to the NWDC crossed Tacoma’s 11th Street bridge, and, as protesters approached the bridge, members of the Tacoma Police Department started forming barricades to block the marchers from continuing on their route. However, the marshal team refused to turn back and pushed through. Eventually the police relented and the protesters continued as planned, completely shutting down the 11th Street bridge.

Chanting continued as the crowd made their way to the NWDC, including chants such as ““When immigrant rights are under attack, what do we do? Stand up, fight back!” and “Shut it down! Shut it tight! Workers of the world unite!”

Upon arrival at the NWDC, the crowd continued chanting and the program resumed on the street outside the detention center. There were more songs and speeches, including one from Maximo Londonio, a member of Machinists (IAM) Local Lodge 695, who was imprisoned by ICE in May 2025.

One attendee reflected on the crowd which had marched nearly two miles from the starting location, “It’s really cool to see so many people from Tacoma uniting and showing up,” said Sterling Peel, a band leader with Bugs for Change and general member of Freedom Road Socialist Organization. “It really shows that this is a working-class town for the working-class people, and we have a strong working-class movement, and I love to see it.”

The program concluded with a song offered by members of Tangoll Migrante Movement which included the refrain “¡El pueblo unido jamás será vencido!” Many attendees vowed to continue fighting.

“Bottom line is, get in the streets!” said Alvarez. “If you’re not in the streets, get in the streets.”

#TacomaWA #WA #ImmigrantRights #Labor #MayDay