There were more than 60 peaceful protests this weekend against the actions of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, including several in Southern California.
But while many of the protests were peaceful, they did not descend into anger and periods of tension. The organizers called these gatherings “ICE Out for Good” over the weekend in response to the killing of Renée Nicole Good by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent in Minneapolis.
In Huntington Beach, Ron Duplantis, 72, held a painting of the three shots fired at Good, including one through his front window and two that appeared to go through his side window.
“Those last two shots, they make it clear to me that this is murder.”
Participants in the “ICE Out” protest held signs Sunday in Huntington Beach.
(Kayla Bartkowski/Los Angeles Times)
Huntington Beach has seen past clashes between Trump supporters and anti-racism activists, but as of midday, Sunday’s protest was tense at times, but not violent. About 300 people — and a dozen protesters — stood outside City Hall, with protesters holding anti-ICE signs, ringing cowbells and chanting “ICE out of OC.”
As cars passed them on Main Street, many drivers cried out in solidarity, while others rolled down their windows and shouted support for ICE, MAGA and President Trump.
“The reason I’m here is democracy,” said Mary Artesani, a 69-year-old Costa Mesa resident holding a sign that read “RESIST.” “They must remember that he will not be in office forever.”
Participants of the “ICE Out” protest in Huntington Beach hold signs as a car with a MAGA helmet on the windshield drives by.
(Kayla Bartkowski/Los Angeles Times)
The Trump administration has stood firmly behind the ICE agent, identified as Jonathan Ross, and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, saying she acted in self-defense. Democratic Alliance officials and many members of the public said that the videos of the incident circulating on social media seem to contradict at least some of what the administration is saying.
“I’m upset that a woman was killed by our government and our government lied to us about it,” said protester Tony Zarkades, 60, who has lived in the Huntington Beach area for nearly 30 years. A former officer in the Marines, Zarkades said he is considering moving to Orange to escape the presence of so many Trump supporters in Huntington Beach.
Large anti-ICE protests took place in the Bay Area as well as in Sacramento and other California cities over the weekend. In Oakland, hundreds demonstrated peacefully on Sunday, although the day before, protesters gathered at the Ronald V. Dellums Federal Building and left a sign, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
In Los Angeles on Saturday night, protesters marched downtown to City Hall and past the Edward Roybal Federal Building, the LA Police Department issued an order to disperse around 6:30 p.m., according to City News Service.
While many of the protests focused on what happened to Good in Minnesota, they also saw Keith Porter Jr., the man killed by an off-duty agent in Northridge on New Year’s Eve.
In Huntington Beach, the beach community has long had a reputation as a Southern California hotbed of Republicans, though its politics have recently changed. Orange County has a painful legacy of political extremism, including neo-Nazism. In 2021, a “White Lives Matter” rally in the area ended with 12 arrests.
On Sunday, a small group of about 30 protesters raised Trump and MAGA flags on the corner opposite the anti-ICE rally.
Protester Victoria Cooper, 72, holds signs and shouts to participants of the “ICE Out” protest in Huntington Beach.
(Kayla Bartkowski/Los Angeles Times)
“We’re here to support our country and the president and support ICE,” said Kelly Johnson, who gave her age as “old enough to be your sugar daddy.”
Wearing an “ICE Immigration: Making America Safe Again” t-shirt, Kelly said the protesters were “paid instigators” who had been lied to by the media.
“Look at other angles of the [shooting] videos,” he said. “He passed the policeman.”
Standing with him was Jesse Huizar, 66, who said he identifies as “Trump’s Latino” and was here to “support green.”
The Chino resident said he came to the US from Mexico when he was 5 years old, but he is not afraid of ICE because “we came here legally.”
Huizar said Good’s death was sad, but said “if he had obeyed, if he had gotten out of his car and followed orders, he would be alive right now.”
But their voices have been largely defeated by those of anti-ICE protesters. One of the organizers of the event, Huntington Beach resident Denise G., 52, who declined to give her last name, said they have been meeting in front of City Hall every Sunday since March, but this was one of the largest numbers they have ever seen.
He felt “frustrated, angry, and more determined than ever” when he saw the video of Good’s shooting, he said.
Protester Kelly Johnson stands across from the “ICE Out” protest.
(Kayla Bartkowski/Los Angeles Times)
“It could be any of us,” she said. “People who are not here today must understand that this could be a member of their family, their spouses, their children. The time is now. All hands are on the floor.”
Nearby, 27-year-old Yvonne Gonzales was with about 10 of her friends. They said they were motivated to come because they were angry about the shooting.
“I wish I was surprised by that,” Gonzales said, “but we’ve seen a lot of violence from ICE.”
He blamed race for the outpouring of support, noting that Good was a white woman and many others injured or killed by immigration enforcement were people of color, but “it was still good to see this outpouring and visibility.”
A few feet away, 41-year-old Christie Martinez stood with her children, Elliott, 9, and Kane, 6. She broke down in tears thinking about the shooting and recent ICE actions in California, including Porter’s murder.
“It’s sad and it’s sickening,” said Martinez, who lives in Westminster. “It really saddens me how people are targeted because of the color of their skin.”
