PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Department of Homeland Security agents detained 11 people, including 10 clergy members, who protested outside Philadelphia ICE headquarters on Monday morning, blocking a garage for nearly two hours.
“Every voice matters, right? I go back to the Arlo Guthrie song ‘Alice’s Restaurant’... So you want to end war and stuff, you want to end violence? You want to confront, end injustice, you have to sing loud,” said Rev. Tim Emmett-Rardin.
It started on the sidewalk outside ICE headquarters around 8 a.m., and the clergy moved to block the garage about 30 minutes later. They prayed and sang loudly and remained in front of the doors until DHS agents physically pushed them toward the road, then eventually detained them. The prayer service was organized as part of a Week of Action Against ICE and ICE collaborators, organized by No ICE Philly.
“It’s kind of an unpredictable experience. You don’t know quite what’s happening or where energy is coming from… I think I was moved by the group. We kind of supported each other and kept each other from falling. Like, I tripped over the stanchion at one point, but somebody else kept me up,” Emmett-Rardin said.
Nigel Thompson/KYW Newsradio
The 10 clergy members, including Emmett-Rardin, and one community member were all issued fines for impeding the entrance to the garage at the headquarters.
Emmett-Rardin was part of a similar action in January, when clergy blocked a garage for two-and-a-half hours.
“Being out here is about standing up for love in the face of fear, in the face of death… crucifixion is ongoing. Literally feels like the least that I could do.”
ICE has maintained that it only targets criminals with its operations. Pastor Jonny Rashid said the clergy’s action not only disrupts those operations but also supports migrant communities and is an olive branch to ICE agents.
“I believe they know what they’re doing is wrong. So when clergy are showing up to do it, we amplify that moral disruption that they feel,” Rashid said.
More arrests
Ten protesters staged a “die-in” outside of the ICE garage on Cherry Street on Friday, blocking vehicles from entering or exiting. A spokesperson for the group, Rev. Jay Bergen, said it was a follow-up to Monday’s protest — part of a “week of action” targeting ICE.
“We thought it was appropriate to come back to the ICE office, the center of government violence in our city, and try to slow down that violence today,” Bergen said.
Nearby, Sen. Art Haywood led a special Good Friday edition of his weekly vigils outside the ICE office. When it concluded, participants surrounded the “die-in,” blocking Cherry Street and prompting police to remove the protesters. They were released an hour or two later with a summary offense. Bergen said the group hopes to show how to neutralize ICE.
“ICE doesn’t know what to do when people show up and aren’t afraid to take risks — blocking the street, blocking their garage doors — they can only function if people are afraid,” Bergen said.
ICE officials were unavailable for comment.
