Carley Riggins expressed solidarity with protestors in LA, emphasizing that the people of Akron also support the cause and are committed to the fight. Riggins made it clear that they will not retreat in the face of challenges.
AKRON, Ohio — Several hundred people gathered in Akron Wednesday evening to peacefully protest the ongoing ICE raids in Los Angeles.
Later in the evening around 7 p.m., individuals started gathering on West Market Street. They displayed signs showing solidarity with LA and disapproval towards the Trump administration. The number of supporters increased, echoed by passing cars honking in a show of solidarity.
One protester, dressed in attire parodying President Donald Trump in prison attire, stated his reasons for participating in the protest. He highlighted his discontent with the treatment of immigrants and stressed the importance of taking action rather than being a passive observer.
Even children took part in the demonstration.
“I’m not happy that they’re separating families,” 11-year-old Lilly said.
The protest, organized by the Akron Party for Socialism and Liberation and other groups, came together in just days after Carley Riggins said she felt the need to speak out about what she calls an “unpopular” movement that’s spread across the country the last few years.Â
“We want to make it clear that the people of Akron stand with those protestors in LA, we stand with our immigrant communities, and we’re not going to back down from this fight,” she said.
Demonstrators came together from all corners of Akron to raise awareness about not just immigration, but also government, civil rights, the LGBTQ+ community, voting, reproductive rights, and how tax dollars are being spent, just to name a few. Many told 3News they felt compelled to be there.
“God told us to love thy neighbor; our neighbors are all around us,” Taylor Russell said. “You are my neighbor, the gentleman behind the camera’s our neighbor, the people who pick our fruits and vegetables are our neighbor(s). There’s no need to judge or justify hate in this society.”
“I feel really hopeful looking at this, because that means that people are going to get organized and we’re getting ready to fight back,” Riggins added.
The protest ended peacefully without a march, with organizers saying that call was made for safety reasons. Many told us they also plan to participate in other demonstrations across Northeast Ohio this weekend in opposition to President Trump’s military birthday parade in Washington.
