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Northern Virginia residents joined a wave of nationwide demonstrations in January after the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good by an ICE agent in Minneapolis on Jan. 7.

The killing, followed by ICE’s shooting of two citizens in Portland, Oregon, helped ignite more than 1,000 protests across the country during the Jan. 10-11 weekend. Tens of thousands participated in “ICE Out for Good” events opposing the agency’s actions.

In Fairfax County, local groups quickly organized rallies, including the “Stop ICE Now Rapid Response Rally” in Kingstowne on Jan. 9 and the “Stop ICE For Good” demonstration in Annandale on Jan. 11.

Indivisible of Franconia said its Kingstowne event responded to Good’s death and supported protests against ICE, the Department of Homeland Security and the Trump administration.

“The shooting death of Renee Good, an unarmed citizen, is the latest tragedy caused by the unlawful practices of ICE,” co-leader Erica Soroha said. “Officers of the law are supposed to protect the public. ICE is a danger to the public.”

Kingstowne protesters describe fear and urgency

Participants at the Kingstowne rally said they felt compelled to speak out against ICE operations in communities around the country.

Brittany Wolf of Alexandria called the agency’s conduct “absolutely unacceptable” and described it as “domestic terrorism.”

Jessica Tipton, also of Alexandria, said she attended because of the effect ICE enforcement has on neighbors and communities. She said the agency’s actions are dehumanizing and put immigrants and citizens at risk rather than making people safer. Tipton also belongs to a community group that watches out for local residents.

Carla Bustillos of Alexandria, a first-generation American whose family comes from Venezuela, became emotional while discussing a relative who had legal Temporary Protected Status but left the United States out of fear that the protection would be withdrawn.

Bustillos said she fears for Venezuelan and Cuban immigrants who fled difficult conditions or persecution, only to encounter what she characterized as state-based intimidation in the United States. As a mother of three, she said she identified with Good and believed local protests were essential for neighbors to declare that such actions were unacceptable.

Bonnie Pacheco of Burke, Susan Brown of Springfield and Mary Kringer of Fairfax Station attended together. The three had participated in previous demonstrations.

“There have been any number of good reasons” to protest, Brown said, but Good’s killing represented a further breach of acceptable conduct. “People need to speak up.”

Nancy Mellito of Burke carried a replica of the Statue of Liberty and said, “We didn’t put her up to put up with this. … I stand with Lady Liberty!”

Hundreds gather in Annandale

Fairfax Indivisible, Falls Church Indivisible and members of Accotink Unitarian Universalist Church organized an Annandale demonstration to give residents a place to respond to Good’s death and other administration policies.

Marianne Burke of Fairfax Indivisible said organizers wanted to immediately bear witness to ICE operations in Minneapolis that culminated in the death of an American citizen. She said protesters would not be intimidated from defending constitutional rights and that the crowd’s size showed broad local support.

The Sunday overpass demonstration drew an estimated 400 or more people.

Annandale residents Clare O’Leary and Debbie Halfield wore frog-themed imagery as part of their protest message. O’Leary called for reasonable treatment of refugees and immigrant neighbors, including fair application procedures and equal rights under the law.

Meredith Hedrick of Annandale attended with a group of returned Peace Corps volunteers.

“We wanted to do something to honor our beliefs and values,” Hedrick said. “I’m here to be with other like-minded people. There are times when you have to speak up.”

Ying Smith of Springfield carried a guitar along the overpass and sang Woody Guthrie’s “This Land Is Your Land.”

Drivers passing both rallies frequently honked and waved in support, although some made negative hand gestures. Fairfax County police officers maintained a low-profile presence.

A Fairfax County Police Department public information officer said the agency recognizes residents’ First Amendment rights and seeks to facilitate lawful protests while maintaining order, managing traffic, responding to emergencies and addressing safety concerns.