An activist was run over last Sunday, the 21st, in New Jersey, in the United States, while participating in a mobilization calling for the release of individuals in the custody of the North American immigration police, ICE, in a symbolic event on Father’s Day.
Visual records show a Dodge Challenger car advancing toward a woman who was moving, waving an inverted United States flag, right in front of Delaney Hall, a complex intended for detaining immigrants.
As determined by the Visible Brigade website, a US news outlet, the activist had traveled from the state of Minnesota with the purpose of joining the demonstration and, fortunately, did not suffer any serious injuries.
At the scene, in addition to the affected activist, several other participants in the act raised voices for the release of the imprisoned individuals, with a special appeal for Father’s Day, displaying posters with the phrases “free the parents, close the camps”.
In recent months, the same detention center has been a frequent scene of mobilizations and internal conflicts, triggered by hundreds of detainees, mostly immigrants, who launched a hunger strike. They denounce conditions considered inhumane, citing spoiled food, overcrowded environments without air conditioning and negligence in their immigration procedures.
Although the incident with the vehicle is shocking, similar confrontational events are not unheard of in this specific location.
Fatal incident involving Renee Good and ICE agents in Minnesota
In an episode that occurred in January this year, a federal immigration official fired fatal shots at a woman during an operation carried out in Minneapolis, in the state of Minnesota.
According to information released by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Renee Nicole Good, 37, allegedly drove her vehicle aggressively toward ICE agents during the operation.
At that time, Kristi Noem, secretary of DHS, expressed support for the agents involved and described the woman’s conduct as an act of “domestic terrorism.”
“These episodes of attacks using vehicles constitute acts of domestic terrorism. We are coordinating with the Department of Justice so that they are treated under this classification”, declared the secretary.
After the death, dozens of people gathered at the scene to protest against the actions of both federal and local agents. Protesters expressed their outrage with slogans such as “Shame! Shame!” and “ICE out of Minnesota!”, accompanied by the sound of whistles.