[SAN DIEGO (Little Italy) Tues Jan. 7, 6:30 p.m.] — About 250 people gathered near India and Grape streets Tuesday evening for a peaceful protest responding to a fatal ICE shooting that occurred the day before in Minneapolis.
Organizers led the group on a march toward downtown San Diego and back to the original meeting point. While some participants urged the crowd to enter a nearby freeway, organizers rejected that idea and kept the demonstration on surface streets.
The protest focused on a Jan. 6 incident in Minneapolis in which an ICE agent shot and killed a woman in her vehicle. Federal authorities have alleged the woman attempted to ram an agent, but protesters pointed to publicly available video they say contradicts that account.
One of the event’s organizers, Arturo — known on Instagram as @officialarturoo — said the gathering was meant to bring people together and draw attention to what he described as a dangerous escalation in enforcement tactics.
“Never in a million years did I think that they would use lethal force on a woman who was in her vehicle, driving on a public road where we all drive,” Arturo said during an interview Wednesday evening. “As America has seen, they murdered that woman.”
Arturo is locally known for following ICE operations and warning communities of agents’ presence. He has previously been detained and, in a separate incident, was chased through a San Diego trolley platform while an SDPD helicopter assisted officers. He said that attention does not deter him.
“If I can take their thoughts off kidnapping people for even a second, I will do that,” Arturo said. “Even if it’s just for a day, it gives families time to prepare.”
Another organizer, Chelsea Gods (@chelseagods619), said the protest was driven by anger and fear following the Minneapolis shooting.
“Tonight, around 250 people gathered to honor the memory of Renee Goode, who was murdered… by an ICE agent,” Chelsea said. “We don’t want the violence of ICE agents on our streets, and we’re tired of this.”
Asked about personal safety, Chelsea acknowledged the risks but said the shooting strengthened her resolve.
“It doesn’t make me want to stop,” she said. “It gives me more resolve that what I’m doing is right and that I’m on the right side of history.”
Organizers said the demonstration was intentionally kept peaceful and emphasized crowd control throughout the evening. They also announced plans for another protest Wednesday night, Jan. 8, with additional demonstrations expected in the coming days.
