Anti-ICE protesters rallied in Riverhead Sunday afternoon, marching from Route 58 to Riverhead Town Hall in the final of four “ICE OUT” protests this weekend, organized by Latino community advocates and supporters.
The peaceful protests, led by activists Osman Canales and Alejandro Godoy, were held in Hempstead and Brentwood on Saturday and in Huntington and Riverhead on Sunday.
“ICE is terrorizing our families, please take action to demand ICE out of Long Island Now!” read a call to action posted on social media channels last week. “We are not criminals. No human is illegal. Stop separating families.”
The protests this weekend came amid a recent uptick inICE enforcement activitiesand arrests across Long Islandincluding in Riverhead.
“Thank you to each and every one of you for being here today. Your presence is very important,” Canales, using a bullhorn, told the crowd outside Riverhead Town Hall on West Second Street, during a rally at the end of the march.
Anita Boyer of Hampton Bays, who has organized “ICE OUT”vigilsandprotestsin Riverhead and other East End communities over the past few months, urged participants to stay involved.
“It is so inspiring to see such a range of people here — families, young adults, Latinos, immigrants, Black, brown and even gringos,” Boyer said.
“Showing up for each other like this is exactly what we need. Let today be day one, and keep showing up consistently, so those who don’t feel comfortable or safe to be loud can feel our support wherever they are,” she said.
Going forward, Boyer predicted, “things will get harder, things will get scarier, and those in power will use any tactic they can to silence us.” But, she said, “our momentum is building and our community cares deeply about each other, and we will — we must — keep showing up.”
Boyer called on those in attendance to “keep putting pressure on” the Riverhead Town Board to pass the local law that Organización Latino Americana (OLA) of Eastern Long Island has circulated among village and town boards on the East End. Theproposed legislationwould help local police protect public safety while improving transparency and accountability, according to OLA, whose board member, retired long-time Assembly Member Fred Thiele drafted the measure.
Source: RiverheadLOCAL
