Minnesota may be a long way from West Marin, but local business owners, students and activists did their part last week to support a nationwide strike aimed at pressuring ICE to get out of Minneapolis, which has been under siege due to President Trump’s immigration crackdown.
A handful of businesses closed for the day and several more pledged to donate part of Friday’s profits to organizations providing services to immigrants and refugees. It was their way of showing solidarity with the thousands of protesters in Minneapolis, including Renee Good and Alex Pretti, who were shot and killed after serving as legal observers last month.
Among those closing their doors were the Bovine Bakery, Werkstatt, the Point Reyes Mexican Grill and the Inverness Park Market. Several others considered closing but decided that doing so would take too big a bite from their workers’ paychecks—or that donating would have a more direct impact.
“Today, we stand in solidarity with immigrant communities impacted and terrorized by ICE, and with all those advocating for human dignity, safety and the right to live without fear,” said a sign hanging in Leona’s in Point Reyes Station, which planned to give 10 percent of the day’s profits to Sonoma Immigrant Services.
Point Reyes Books plans to donate all of Friday’s profits and a portion of its weekend sales to West Marin Community Services. The Station House Café closed for lunch and set aside 20 percent of its dinnertime profits, dividing them between W.M.C.S. and the American Civil Liberties Association of Minnesota.
The day’s most boisterous protest took place in front of Bolinas School, where about 35 students, most of them fourth and fifth graders, waved signs at passing motorists and chanted:
“What do we want?
A hair dryer!
Why do we need it?
Melt the ICE!”
The students organized the protest on their own but were closely supervised, according to principal Ilie Watterson, who stressed that none of the students were pressured to participate.
When asked why they felt moved to protest, one student replied: “Because we believe everybody in our town should be free and safe, no matter the color of their skin.”
Another 50 of the district’s 127 students stayed home for the day, joining thousands of students in a nationwide walkout.
Smiley’s Saloon gave a 5 percent discount to customers paying in cash and planned to donate the proceeds of any saved credit card fees to Minnesota legal aid organizations. The idea was to keep the money out of the hands of big banks while supporting immigrants’ rights, according to co-owner Blair Harris. “This was a way we could help the cause,” she said. “It’s a small step, and I wish we could have done more. I think it’s important for everyone to stand up and call out bad behavior when they see it.”
From Friday until Monday, the Palace Market agreed to match up to $5,000 in donations from customers who topped up their bills, with the proceeds going to the National Immigration Law Center.
“The entire food industry is held up by immigrants,” manager Brit Hartwell said. “It’s against our very values to do nothing when it comes to something like this. What’s happening with ICE and Homeland Security is completely wrong in every way, shape and form.”
Anne-Marie Flynn, director of West Marin Community Services, expressed gratitude to all the business owners who are standing up for immigrants. “I think it’s probably only a matter of time before ICE comes to Marin County in some form, and we are working to lay the groundwork so that our communities are prepared when that time comes.”
The agency is planning legal observer trainings on Feb. 28 and May 23 in Point Reyes Station, on March 28 in Tomales and on April 25 in the San Geronimo Valley.