TACOMA, Wash. — This story was originally posted on MyNorthwest.com
A Tacoma City Council meeting was disrupted by an anti-ICE protest Tuesday, prompting a brief respite.
The rally was organized by the Pierce County Immigration Alliance, a group calling for the removal of ICE from the City of Tacoma. On E. J Street, there is a detention center, aptly named the Northwest Detention Center, operated by the GEO Group on behalf of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
As many as 150 people rallied outside the Tacoma Municipal Building during the city council meeting, calling for the council to terminate the Northwest ICE Processing Center and divest from ICE. Most of the participants stayed outside on the sidewalks, but still disrupted the council meeting.
A few dozen protesters had the chance to speak during the public comment period, but the meeting was stalled after rounds of cheers and applause followed each comment.
“If people cannot conduct the meeting respectfully and continue to be disruptive, we will close community forum and adjourn,” Tacoma Mayor Anders Ibsen said.
According to The Tacoma News Tribune, it is rare for the Tacoma City Council to have a recess during its meetings.
“We met with the mayor and some city council members on Tuesday and they made it clear: they have no intention of taking the bold action needed at this time,” Pierce County Immigration Alliance stated on social media. “But we won’t stop until the city takes bold action and tells ICE that they are not welcome here!”
This was the third anti-ICE protest conducted by the Pierce County Immigration Alliance. One of the organization’s earlier protests, held two weeks ago, blocked traffic on Market Street.