Hundreds of people packed the sidewalks at Ninth and Massachusetts Street on Sunday afternoon, turning downtown Lawrence into a roar of chants calling for justice for Renee Good and an end to ICE violence. On Wednesday, the day Renee Good was murdered by federal ICE agents, Sanctuary Alliance posted a statement calling for the action:
Today’s murder by ICE in Minneapolis shows, yet again, the rogue violent actions by federal agents whose only aim is to destroy communities, rip families apart and act in the name of an unjust administration.WE SAY ENOUGH.
This is not the first murder at the hands of immigration “enforcement.”
This is not the first shooting. The start of this new year has been ripped away from us by the continued violence of federal forces.We need to take our power back, in solidarity, in community.
Please join us for a solidarity demonstration, Sunday January 11th from 12:00-1:00pm at 9th and Mass in downtown Lawrence.
We are grateful to the Sunday protest organizers for giving us the space to show our solidarity with Minneapolis and our immigrant neighbors who continue to be terrorized by ICE.
We ask the community to show up with us.
While we fully acknowledge demonstrations are not the end of the work needed to change these violent systems, we know, by coming together in community we can show our collective demand for change.
We show up for our immigrant community. We show up for all those who have been harmed at the hands of ICE.
The hour‑long rally drew a mix of familiar Boots on the Ground Midwest weekly protesters and first‑time demonstrators from groups such as Sunrise KU, KU Students for Justice in Palestine, and Lawrence DSA. Among the veterans were Steve and Molly Lawrence, who say they have attended nearly 150 protests each since last March and rarely miss the weekly demonstrations at the corner. Molly arrived with a bundle of homemade signs for anyone who needed one. "Democracy dies in silence," Steve said. "More people need to come out and speak up against injustice."
Speakers from Sanctuary Alliance framed the gathering as both a moment of mourning and a demand for change. In prepared remarks, the group condemned "rogue violent actions by federal agents whose only aim is to destroy communities, rip families apart and act in the name of an unjust administration," and pledged to keep fighting alongside immigrants and others targeted by ICE and Border Patrol. They urged the crowd not to see Sunday’s action as an endpoint but as part of a longer struggle, telling people, "We can train. We can educate. We can rise up and resist."
SANCTUARY ALLIANCE - Remarks for 1/11/26 Solidarity Demonstration:
Community,Thank you for joining Sanctuary Alliance this afternoon and for the continued support of our work, our partners in the organizing space and those working to end the decades of violence enacted on the immigrant community and all communities who suffer under the weight of fascism.
Today we gather among people who see themselves in the tapestry of harm federal enforcement has caused far beyond this week. For many what transpired last week, the murder of Renee Nicole Good, has shaken them to their core. Many more of us can reach back further. To the murder of Keith Porter, Delvin Francisco Rodriguez, Kai Yin Wong, Jean Wilson Brutus, Jesus Molina-Veya...the list continues to over 30 last year and a confirmed death of an individual kidnapped and imprisoned by ICE just a few days ago. We can, of course, continue to pull this thread. The countless unnamed lives of people who have died because of the unjust and inhumane actions of ICE/CPB/DHS. All this echoes the continued violence of the police state. George Floyd, Sandra Bland, Philando Castile, Breonna Taylor...the ongoing genocide in Palestine, Sudan, The Congo, decades of violence in central, south America, the global south.
We have known for a very long time.
We know this state sponsored violence is very American.
If this is the first time you have seen yourself reflected in the murder of Renee, I ask you this.
Feel this in your body. Metabolize, process the grief, anger, rage, confusion, uncertainty, fear.
Take all of this now and feel it with the people around you.
We did not call this demonstration to hold signs or chant.
We decided to do this so our community can mourn together.
Because in our collective grief there is a reminder.
We are reminded of our humanity.
We are reminded of the experiences of others who have been in our place, mourning, grieving.
We hear the echoes of our siblings at Standing Rock, Ferguson, Minneapolis, Louisville. The continued resistance in LA, Chicago, Portland, New York, Memphis. The lessons from our global siblings in Palestine, Venezuela, Lebanon, Yemen.
We mourn and we remember because what comes next requires every one of you.
We did not call this demonstration to hold signs or chant.
Now is the time for action.
And the harrowing truth is...no one is coming to save us.
Not our city and county officials, not state elected, not democrats.
The establishment will not seek justice and change.
So we must.
I know that may not sit well with some folks.
But this is the reality.
Change must come from us.
Our call to you is this, start organizing yourselves.
We need to know our neighbors, coworkers, and community members.
We need to be ready to protect each other.
We need to be ready to defend each other.
Do not allow what happened to Renee or to any who have put themselves in front of state violence happen in vain.
This is your call.
We can train. We can educate. We can rise up and resist.
When we founded Sanctuary Alliance 8 years ago we knew the real strength was in the people. That immigrants deserve a future here.
We are committed to continuing to lift up and support and fight with all people impacted by the terrorist groups ICE and CBP.
The system was never intended to serve us, we were never meant to survive it.
But we will continue fighting, organizing, resisting.
Gathering today is the opportunity and call to do more.
We will provide more opportunities to learn, train and prepare.
Thank you.
For some in attendance, that struggle stretches back decades. One older protester said he began demonstrating during the Vietnam War and was grateful to see younger people filling the corner with him on Sunday. Others described the rally as their first time at a protest, drawn out by news of Good’s killing and by friends sharing Sanctuary Alliance’s call to action on social media.
Organizers and long‑time activists urged people to plug into existing local efforts rather than waiting for the next emergency. One organizer with Zines for Resistance handed out a zine that explains how to safely document ICE activity, call rapid‑response hotlines run by Somos Lawrence and Sanctuary Alliance, and report what they see using the ‘SALUTE’ method—recording size, actions, location, uniforms, time, and equipment. The zine also lists ways to donate to Somos to help cover legal costs and support families, along with everyday steps like supporting immigrant‑owned businesses and calling elected officials.
As the demonstration wound down, chants of ‘No justice, no peace’ and ‘Abolish ICE’ gave way to smaller conversations about future trainings, court support, and the next time people would gather at the corner. For Steve and Molly, the answer is simple: they plan to be back next weekend, as they have been for months. The question now is how many of Sunday’s first‑time protesters will join them and one of the many organizations there.
The crowd’s energy made it clear that Lawrence is ready to stand up for its community members if ICE comes knocking on a neighbor’s door. For many who showed up, this was only the beginning, their first steps toward getting organized alongside other comrades. The grief and outrage shared by everyone there now have the chance to grow into sustained community defense. Sanctuary Alliance and allied groups are already planning Community Solidarity and Defense Trainings to channel that energy into action. If ICE does come to threaten families, Lawrence will be ready to protect its neighbors.
People who want to get involved can start now by signing up with local groups like Somos Lawrence or Sanctuary Alliance defense trainings. Also, you can have Rapid Response hotlines saved in your phone to be prepared for when ICE does show up in our community. Or, you can send donations to help cover legal aid and family support. Sunday's rally was a moment of mourning, but also a spark. Whether that spark becomes a wildfire depends on how many people decide to carry the flame forward, so get organized!
Hotline Numbers:Somos Lawrence: (785) 813-1098
Sanctuary Alliance (785) 289 -5143
Food and Clothing Donations can be made at the Ballard Center
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