Homer stands with Minneapolis

Nearly 300 people, girded with ice cleats, signs and banners, and the particular determination that has become a hallmark of these events, gathered in the iced-over WKFL Park on Sunday to continue protesting recent actions by the Trump administration and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Homer Women of Action, who organized the event, counted 276 protesters in attendance.

Protest music played from speakers set up on either side of Pioneer Avenue, including Bruce Springsteen’s new anti-ICE song, “Streets of Minneapolis.”

Sunday’s demonstration followed one held on Saturday, Jan. 24, which also protested the Trump administration and ongoing immigration raids. Both events also highlighted the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal officers in Minneapolis, Minnesota — the latter of which occurred only hours before Homer’s Jan. 24 protest.

Homer resident Jan Krehel said on Sunday that the “ICE OUT” demonstration was the seventh or eighth protest she’s attended, and that she thought the response from passers-by in vehicles was more positive this time — more honking in support and less thumbs-down given.

“My biggest reason for being here is to state my case — we need to change what is happening in this country. We are going in the wrong direction,” she said. “I’m not a progressive, but there’s nothing that a progressive could do that comes anywhere close to what this regime is doing.”

Krehel said she got a good feeling from all the people joining the demonstration.

“I question myself — am I on the right side of things?” she said. “If you come out here, you get your battery recharged.”

Gary Sheridan, a resident for 20 years, said Sunday was his first protest in Homer, though not the first protest he’s ever attended.

“It’s wonderful to see such a good turnout,” he said. “I’ve been hearing about this for months, and I decided to make my presence.”

Tracy Nordstrom is from Minnesota. She and her family have been visiting the area, and plan to become part-time residents in Homer in the near future.

“We’re finding home here as well, partly because of the activism and the heart of the community,” she said.

She said she was “especially grateful” to be in Homer and at the demonstration on Sunday.

“This show of solidarity with my hometown is filling my heart,” she said. “Minneapolis can happen anywhere, I’m glad Homer folks see that.”

Homer’s “ICE OUT” demonstration was one of many happening across Alaska and nationwide. Over 200 people gathered in Juneau last Thursday, Jan. 29, to speak out against ICE, the Juneau Empire reported Friday. The Alaska Beacon also reported Monday that hundreds of high school students in Fairbanks and Anchorage walked out of classes on Friday as part of a nationwide general strike, and health care workers in Anchorage “rallied in support” at the Alaska Native Medical Center. Crowds rallied in dozens of cities across the U.S. on Friday and Saturday, according to reporting by the New York Times, including Minneapolis; Los Angeles; Portland, Oregon; Fair Lawn, New Jersey; New York and more.