Nearly 100 come together in Savannah for ‘Ice Out’ protest, demanding immigration reform

Editor’s note: The original headline on this article did not accurately reflect the number of people who attended this protest. It has been corrected. WTOC apologizes for the error.

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - Nearly 100 protesters filled Forsyth Park Friday to raise their voice against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and demand accountability from federal government officials.

The demonstration comes just two weeks after the fatal shooting of Renee Good by an ICE agent in Minnesota—an incident that has fueled immigrant advocacy groups and activists across the country.

Organizers framed the protest as a direct response to what they describe as brutal law enforcement practices targeting immigrant communities.

“This event today was about protesting against ICE, against this brutal police force that is being dropped on the working class, that is assaulting our neighbors, stealing children from parents, stealing parents from children,” said Tycen from the Party for Socialism and Liberation, one of the event’s organizers.

Protesters held signs and chanted messages of solidarity with immigrants, with many participants saying they felt a moral obligation to speak out against what they view as unjust federal policies.

“It makes me so upset seeing what’s going on around the country with ICE,” said one protester. “These are human beings that are here to live better lives, raise their children, get good educations.”

Savannah’s protest was part of a larger wave of “Ice Out” demonstrations that swept across the United States on the same day.

In Minneapolis, thousands of people took to the streets as part of a statewide general strike, with similar rallies occurring in cities nationwide.

The coordinated action underscores growing frustration with what some activists see as collaboration between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities.

“There’s no reason that our local government should be collaborating with the federal government on this,” Tycen stated. “We don’t care. If they want to keep their jobs they will not listen to this administration, they will not listen to any administration that supports this, red or blue.”

Beyond the street demonstration, organizers urged Savannah residents to take concrete action by connecting with local advocacy organizations and volunteering their time and resources.

“Some people don’t even know we’re out here,” said a speaker from YourSpace. “There’s still so much more we have to push out here to educate the people, so we all find each other.”