Hundreds line Rib Mountain Drive for protest against ICE

Hundreds of people lined Rib Mountain Drive over the weekend to protest U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, joining demonstrations held across Wisconsin and nationwide.

Nancy Stencil, chair of the Marathon County Democratic Party, said the turnout exceeded expectations.

“I was thinking, you know, maybe 100 people show up and there were over 500 people that showed up,” Stencil said. “So many young people, and I’m so energized to see that. It’s not just those of us that are a little bit older that have the time. Young people showed up, just huge. And they’re angry.”

The protest Saturday followed recent immigration enforcement actions that have drawn national attention, including the killing of Green Bay native Alex Pretti by federal immigration officials on January 24.

It also came days after a five-year-old boy, Liam Conejo Ramos, and his father were detained by immigration officers in Minnesota and held at an ICE facility in Texas.

Stencil said those events were reflected throughout Saturday’s demonstration, including in protest signs. One in particular stood out to her.

“The one that struck me the most is somebody had – it was computer-generated – but it showed a little boy in what I call Nazi pajamas behind bars,” she said. “And then it showed Liam with his rabbit hat standing on the other side, and they’re looking at each other.”

The father and son were released following a judge’s order and returned to Minneapolis as of Sunday.

Stencil said a small number of counter-protesters were also present, expressing support for ICE.

“There were some that were across the street, I think three people over there,” she said. “And then there were either two or three younger men standing in the crowd holding a Trump and Vance sign. They just stood there. They didn’t really heckle anybody. They were respectful.”

Organizers said another protest is planned toward the end of the month.