South Sound News

Protesters want Tacoma City Council to take down fence at detention center

Demonstrators raised their voices at Tuesday’s Tacoma City Council meeting, loudly asking for city leaders to take action regarding a fence at the Northwest Detention Center where immigrant detainees are being held. During Citizens’ Forum at the council meeting, some speakers said the council was on the wrong side of history.

Others objected to how the city of Tacoma has been handling the protests in general. They say the city putting up a fence near railroad tracks that run near the detention center was a step that went too far.

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Demonstrators want the mayor and city council to take down the fence at the detention center. 
City leaders say the fencing was installed after a demonstration July 1 to keep people off the railroad tracks in front of the NWDC. Protesters have consistently stood on the tracks and blocked gates. The fence runs the length of the railroad tracks and is parallel to a fence that already encloses the NWDC. Tacoma's city manager said the fence was erected after consulting with BNSF, which owns the land along the tracks.

Those measures are what brought protesters to bang pots and pans outside the city council meeting. The protest could be heard in the council chambers even though they were outside. During the meeting, one woman in tears called out the city: “I'm appalled and alarmed that Tacoma continues to support and profit from the NWDC.”

The demonstrators, many of whom have gone to the regular protests at NWDC, says the fence prohibits free speech. Michael Collier was the first speaker. “Do not hinder us. Let us have the ability to peacefully protest. Give us the space to occupy,” he said.

Protesters laughed when city officials said they put the fence up to keep people safe from passing trains. Mayor Victoria Woodards tried to explain the city’s position: “… The steps that the city has taken for your safety ... Hey, you don't want us to laugh when you speak so please don't be disrespectful.”

KIRO 7 was at protests where hundreds crowded the tracks and blocked gates to the detention center. Speakers said the fence is a sign city leaders are OK with federal immigration policy and the Geo Group, the company running the detention center. Tacoma city leaders reinforced that the city is a welcoming city and even invited leaders up to speak from a task force dedicated to immigration and refugee issues. The city clarified that it put up the fences independently and the city manager said the Geo Group did not request the fences.

One woman said the city should revoke the Geo Group’s business license before asking the fence to be torn down. “Say the fences are there for our safety, let me tell you we don't even want to be there.”

The city spent more than $2,000 on the fence, and one council member asked if the city would be reimbursed by BNSF. The city manager said they hadn't asked for that but could. The fence could be up for 90 days. The city manager said BNSF could erect its own fence.