Several hundred march Saturday in Spokane’s Clark Park against ICE
Just after 1 p.m. Saturday, Spokane resident David Dolle walked slowly south alongside Division Street. In his hand, he carried a large American flag that he attached inverted to a stick.
“This is a sign of distress,” the 66-year-old Dolle said of his flag, “because Democracy is upside down.”
Dolle joined several hundred protesters on Saturday at B.A. Clark Park, at 3922 N. Normandie St. The crowd, which mostly consisted of older participants, waved signs as thousands of commuters honked, waved and clapped in support as they slowly rolled past the procession.
A few pickup drivers hit accelerators to dump dark exhaust clouds on the crowd, and one man in the passenger seat of a white sedan leaned out and yelled “idiots, idiots, idiots” at the bystanders who displayed hundreds of homemade signs.
Dolle said he joined the march because of what he perceives as assaults on truth by the Trump administration.
“The first one I came to, I cried,” Dolle said. “I didn’t know people thought like I did. I’m supportive of the people of Spokane. Now I know there are a lot of us.”
Some of the signs mocked President Donald Trump and others focused on actions of masked agents employed by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Minnesota, including the Jan. 7 shooting of Renee Good and the Jan. 24 shooting of intensive care nurse Alex Pretti. Both were 37.
“The only thing ICE is protecting is the Epstein files,” one sign read. Another sign proclaimed, “Pretti Good Reason to Protest.”
Rocky Kerr, 70, of Spokane, held a sign showing in great detail two masked ICE agents who were holding the black-and-white outline of a third person. Inside the outline read, “Your Photo Here.”
“I’m making a statement against the brutal ICE actions in Minnesota,” Kerr said. “Hopefully our elected officials are cluing in that this is important to their constituents.
Sarah Jones, 44, of Spokane, held a PVC pipe to which she attached banners that read: “Minnesota Strong.”
Jones mostly grew up in Spokane, but she was born in Bemidji, Minnesota.
“I wanted something with more hope,” Jones said as she began to cry. “I just wanted to do what I could to support them.”
Jones said she had hoped to see more younger residents at the rally. “I don’t see a lot of young white guys. I think a lot of people are afraid. But, you have to feel the fear and do it anyway. It’s coming for everyone.”
Jaclyn Davis, 40, of Spokane, brought her children, 15-year-old Flynn, and 9-year-old Sarah, to the rally.
“They asked to come,” Davis said. “I wanted to show them that they can stand up and have a right to your own opinion. They see all these people who feel good things and want good things for others.”
The protesters stood about three-to-four people deep all the way from Empire to LaCrosse on west side of Division Street. Eventually, about a hundred of the protesters walked across the line to the east side of Division.
One little girl, who appeared to be about 8, held a piece of cardboard with the words: “Boo Ice.”
Another woman carried a sign that read, “Democracy needs OUR couRAGE.”
Terry Skipper held a different kind of sign: “I Just Want One Normal Week.”
“Good grief. Every day there is something more horrible,” Skipper said. “It is time to voice your opinion, loudly.”
Skipper, 71, said she’s an “old protester” from the 1960s and 1970s who protested against the Vietnam War and in support of abortion rights.
“We have all seen a lot,” she said. “I just can’t believe what’s going on now. We fought so hard for so many things. But, so much has been taken away, especially for us women.”
She welcomed the hundreds of people who attended, including those who heckled the protesters as they drove past on Division.
“Everybody is entitled to their opinion,” she said. “It’s wonderful to see the reaction from the cars on Division, for the most part.”