BOZEMAN — The scene outside the Gallatin County Courthouse on Sunday looked far different than usual, as hundreds gathered to protest recent U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) actions.
The demonstration was organized in response to the killing of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care nurse, who was shot multiple times and killed by ICE agents in Minneapolis on Saturday.
Julian Staggs, president of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) at Montana State University — a national organization that established a chapter on campus last year — said the group acted quickly after learning the news.
WATCH: Community members gathered at the Gallatin County Courthouse to voice concerns about recent events
“After the murder of Alex Pretti on Saturday, we organized a protest immediately for Sunday — the next day — and put it on within 24 hours,” Staggs said.
SDS coordinated the protest with Students Against Genocide, Freedom Road Socialist Organization, Bozeman Democratic Socialists of America, and Montana for Palestine.
According to Staggs, about 1,500 people attended Sunday’s demonstration.
“I think right now that shows people are mad at what’s going on,” he said.
The protest came just weeks after another ICE-related shooting. On Jan. 7, Renne Good, 37, was fatally shot by an ICE agent in Minneapolis. Staggs said SDS organized a protest at the Bozeman Police Department the same day, drawing about 50 participants.
Omar Awad, an organizer with Students Against Genocide and Montana for Palestine, said the issue feels personal to him.
“It truly hits home for me. There’s a tremendous amount of parallel,” Awad said, noting that his Palestinian heritage informs his activism. “We’re truly just fighting the same machine. We want to see justice for these people.”
Local political group Indivisible Bozeman has also been active in recent weeks. Volunteers Beth Kampschror and Kay Lafrance have helped organize protests regarding ICE, including a vigil for Good that drew around 200 people.
“I think the fact that people can unite in a hurry is just a reflection of how upset people are, how angry they are, how committed they are to making change,” Lafrance said.
Kampschror added that actions in Minnesota resonate with people in Montana.
“Something like this happening to Americans in Minnesota means it’s happening to all of us,” she said.
Organizers said they expect more groups to join the conversation. Requests for comment from the Gallatin Valley Sentinel and Take Back Bozeman were not returned.
Sen. Steve Daines sent MTN News a statement that reads: "The shooting in Minneapolis is a tragedy and should be fully investigated. I am glad President Trump is directly engaged in the situation and sent Border Czar Tom Homan to Minneapolis. We must continue to support law enforcement and fund the government in order to avoid a shutdown this week."
Sen. Tim Sheehy also sent a statement: “It’s heartbreaking to see another avoidable tragedy unfold in Minnesota. We as Americans must bridge our differences without violence. As is standard with any fatal law enforcement encounter, there will be a full investigation. I strongly urge Tim Walz and Mayor Frey to cooperate with ICE so we can avoid future tragedies and facilitate safe and orderly enforcement of our immigration laws. Brave law enforcement officers put themselves in harm’s way each day to keep our streets safe, and they deserve our respect and support.”
Staggs said that while Sunday’s protest was a success, advocates’ efforts are far from over.
“In the broader sense, what we need is a mass mobilization of people who are going to get onto the streets, who aren’t afraid to say, ‘Down with ICE,’ and who are going to make the movement louder,” he said.
