Photo: Jim Vondruska / Getty Images News / Getty Images
Local activist groups and labor unions took to the streets of Harrisonburg Tuesday night (January 20), holding a march to protest immigration enforcement practices at both the local and national levels.
Despite frigid temperatures, participants gathered to mark the first anniversary of President Trump’s inauguration, walking from Mason Street to Court Square while chanting against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) policies. The crowd included people of all ages, some wearing costumes, who said the demonstration was meant to show solidarity with immigrant communities.
The march began in the parking lot of Rose’s Department Store before continuing to Court Square, where speakers addressed the crowd about the purpose of the protest and the broader impact of immigration enforcement. While a small number of bystanders voiced support for ICE, organizers encouraged demonstrators to remain calm and avoid confrontation.
Michaela Blosser, an organizer with Harrisonburg-Rockingham Indivisible, emphasized that the event was rooted in peaceful civic action. She said the goal was to exercise the right to protest while advocating for the dignity and safety of immigrants.
Organizers said the demonstration reflected Harrisonburg’s identity as a diverse and welcoming community and expressed hope that those values would extend beyond the city and across the country.
SOURCE: WHSV3