About 70 Sitkans lined the street downtown on Saturday in an act of ICE resistance, blowing whistles and holding signs that read, “Alaska is cold enough. We don’t need ICE” and “People should not be afraid of their governments. Governments should be afraid of their people.”
The demonstration came amid growing tensions nationwide, which continued to escalate two weeks ago following the killing of a Minnesota woman at the hands of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent.
“Whistles have become a symbol of resistance to ICE, with people whistling in order to alert vulnerable people and to alert one another about ICE presence,” said Cindy Litman, one of the organizers of Sitkans for Peace and Democracy, a group that holds a weekly vigil at Sitka’s main roundabout, protesting everything from the war in Gaza to the actions of the Trump administration.
She said a community member who doesn’t usually participate in the regular protests was disturbed by what happened in Minneapolis with the Jan. 7 killing of Renee Good, and with continuing ICE raids across the country, so he purchased 50 whistles to conduct the local whistle choir.
“We wanted to show solidarity with the people in Minnesota, but also to bring home that it potentially could be us here in the future,” Litman said.
It is already affecting Sitkans and their friends and family, according to Kh’asheechtlaa Louise Brady, who held a sign reading, “No ICE. Standing in solidarity with southern relatives.” She said her son and his family live in Olympia, Washington, and she’s terrified for their safety.
“When ICE started ramping up, I made sure that they had their tribal IDs, but I hear they’re not even respecting that, and it’s a really helpless feeling,” Brady said. “This is affecting people who live here, and there are those of us who actually have skin in the game. I’m obviously Native. I’m obviously a person of color. I travel with my passport, I travel with my birth certificate. I travel with my certificate of Indian blood and my tribal IDs, and I am really motivated to help our people.”
Brady said locals should do as much as they can to raise awareness, including calling their representatives and mobilizing.
“This is a good start, but I’m hoping that we can come together as a community more to see how we can help, because there’s so many people right now who are in need,” she said. “It’s heartbreaking. I have a hard time talking about it, because I’m scared to death for my son, [and] my grandchildren.”
A group of eight counter-protesters lined the other side of the thoroughfare, holding the American and Israeli flags, a large Trump banner in the background.
Sitka-resident Linda Marlin was born in Calexico, California, right along the U.S./Mexico border. She said what happened to Good in Minneapolis is sad, but that she supports law enforcement.
“I support ICE 100%,” she said. “I support the Border Patrol because my family’s Border Patrol and I support the sheriff’s department. My family’s sheriff. and I support the police department, troopers and our wonderful military that we have that makes us safe.”
After about an hour, the counter-protesters ended the demonstration with a prayer. On the other side of the street, an organizer collected the anti-ICE demonstrators’ whistles and the group dispersed for the day. But this wasn’t the last time they’ll be at the roundabout. They have been out here every Saturday for the past two years. Their focus isn’t always on ICE, but they’ll be here.
