Hundreds of protesters gathered at Taylor Park in downtown St. Albans on Friday afternoon to speak out against recent actions by U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The demonstration was put together by ICE Out Vermont Alliance, a coalition of over 40 community, religious, and activist groups from across the state. It featured several speakers including members of Migrant Justice, faith leaders and Vermont Treasurer Mike Pieciak. There were also performances from Bread and Puppet Theater, the Good Trouble Street Choir and the People’s Resistance Marching Band.
Activists led the crowd in various songs and chants. Protesters wore costumes and carried signs denouncing the Trump administration and federal immigration agencies. Speakers also read the names of people who have died in ICE custody or detention facilities, as well as during interactions with federal agents.
A small group of counterprotesters also assembled at the park. They flew pro-Trump and pro-ICE flags, played music and talked during demonstrators’ speeches.
Local schools, including Bellows Free Academy, Northwest Career & Technical Center and Spring Academy dismissed students early on Friday ahead of the protest as a safety precaution.
The protest in Taylor Park was scheduled to be followed by a sit-in at the U.S. Post Office and Custom House in downtown St. Albans. The building houses a CBP office. Participants intended to trespass and get arrested in protest, including Fayston resident Judi Gates, who attended with an affinity group from the Mad River Valley.
“I want to send a message that the common person is willing to get up and get arrested for making change,” she said.
However, activists learned that the federal building had been closed and locked in response to the planned demonstration.
Ahead of Friday’s planned action, several activists took part in a day-long nonviolence training.
Newbury resident Denise Fontaine, a member of Third Act Orange East, said the training helped participants learn to engage with people at a human level.
“It taught us how to work with each other when somebody comes over to you and disagrees with you,” she said. “We learned how these groups work and how we [can] communicate within our groups so that we can have an effective, peaceful and hopefully impactful day.”
Following the march around Taylor Park, a group of about 100 people walked to the federal building. Since they could not enter the locked building, the group gathered out front and called for changes at ICE and CBP. Activists accuse federal agents of apprehending people without probable cause, using excessive force and practicing illegal surveillance, among other concerns. They read a list of “demands” that urge the agencies to reform their practices.
“We were successful,” said Paul Markowitz, a member of Vermont ICE Out Alliance, as he closed the downtown demonstration.
“We closed them down and nobody got arrested,” he said. “It doesn’t get much easier than that, right? And we will be back.”
