PROVIDENCE — Geena Pham, a teacher in Blackstone, Mass., said she sees the concern about immigration raids written on many of her students’ faces.
“Some of our students’ families have already been deported,” said Pham, who previously ran for state senate in Rhode Island. “They are worried every single day. It’s emotional. And that’s why I’m here.”
Pham was one of hundreds people who gathered in Providence on Monday evening in solidarity with demonstrators in Los Angeles, rallying against immigration raids and ICE.
“The people united will never be defeated,” shouted participants while marching down Westminster Street. “Show me what community looks like.”
Protesters first gathered outside the Providence Federal Center in a peaceful demonstration organized by the local branch of the Party for Socialism and Liberation that began at 6 p.m. and ended just before 8 p.m. The crowd began moving through the city around 6:30 p.m., shouting “Abolish ICE” and holding signs with expletives written in English and Spanish.
“We wanted the people of Los Angeles to know that they are not alone,” said Sarah Liew, one of the protesters. “That we stand in solidarity with them.”
Demonstrators waved Palestinian, Mexican, Venezuelan, and American flags. Others held up signs. One read “Proud product of immigrants.” Another said, “Migrants and refugees are not pawns on the chessboard of humanity.”
Dozens of protesters wore hoodies, sunglasses, and medical masks to conceal their identity. Many declined to provide their names to the Globe for an interview.
Gabriel Torres shouted into a bullhorn throughout the protest, as marchers moved up Westminster Street and back to the Federal Center.
“This is a movement. This is a multigenerational movement that represents working-class people,” Torres said.
“From Palestine to Mexico, we say border lines have got to go,” said Torres.
Protests took place across the US in solidarity with demonstrators in Los Angeles on Monday. Hundreds of union members rallied outside of Boston City Hall to condemn the detention of a top union official who was arrested while protesting workplace immigration raids last week in California.
The demonstrations in Los Angeles have roiled the city since late last week. On Sunday, thousands of people took to the streets, blocked off a major freeway, and set self-driving cars on fire. President Trump federalized the National Guard, apparently in violation of the 10th Amendment; once they arrived, members of the National Guard responded to protesters with tear gas, rubber bullets, and flash bangs.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta sued Trump for deploying hundreds of National Guard members to Los Angeles.
“President Trump’s order calling federalized National Guard troops into Los Angeles – over the objections of the Governor and local law enforcement – is unnecessary and counterproductive,” said Bonta. “Let me be clear: There is no invasion. There is no rebellion. The President is trying to manufacture chaos and crisis on the ground for his own political ends.”
In response to the suit, Trump said he supported arresting California Governor Gavin Newsom.
In a post on social media on Sunday, Providence state Representative Enrique Sanchez said he thinks it is “time to organize a massive” protest against US Immigration and Customs Enforcement similar to the one in Los Angeles. Monday evening’s protest was apparently organized before Sanchez posted on social media.
The Rhode Island Republican Party chairman criticized Sanchez’s call for a protest, claiming it was an “open invitation to anarchy.”
”We didn’t elect leaders to stoke flames—we elected them to uphold order, defend our rights, and protect our communities," said R.I. GOP chairman Joe Powers in a statement. “But time and again, Democrats in this state choose criminals over citizens, illegal aliens over taxpaying Rhode Islanders, and political stunts over public safety.”
Alexa Gagosz can be reached at alexa.gagosz@globe.com. Follow her @alexagagosz and on Instagram @AlexaGagosz.