Dozens of protesters lined the sidewalks near River Park Saturday afternoon as part of Peace Fresno\u2019s weekly demonstration, calling for an end to Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity in the Central Valley and urging local officials to refuse cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s going on is, very, very dangerous times. We are losing our First Amendment right.\u201d \u2014 Dan Yasin, president and co-founder of Peace Fresno <\/p>\n
The protest is part of a recurring Saturday action hosted by Peace Fresno, a local anti-war and social justice organization founded in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks. While the group has maintained a consistent presence at River Park since late 2023, organizers said attendance has surged in recent weeks amid heightened national attention on immigration enforcement.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve been coming here every Saturday since October of 2023,\u201d said Dan Yasin, president and co-founder of Peace Fresno. \u201cThere were weeks where only four or five people showed up. Now, last week we had around 400.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Roots of Peace Fresno<\/p>\n
Peace Fresno was formed after the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan and later opposed the wars in Iraq and Iran, according to Yasin. Over the past two decades, the group has continued organizing protests against militarism, government surveillance and what members describe as ongoing erosion of civil liberties.<\/p>\n
Yasin said the group\u2019s current focus on immigration enforcement reflects what organizers see as an escalation in ICE activity nationally and growing fear within immigrant communities.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s going on is, very, very dangerous times. \u2029We are losing our First Amendment right, \u201d Yasin said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Saturday\u2019s protest drew longtime activists as well as first-time attendees. Many carried handmade signs calling for immigrant rights and warning of what they see as over-policing and unchecked federal power.<\/p>\n
Aggressive Immigration Enforcement Motivates Protesters<\/p>\n
Emily Rodriguez said her family\u2019s immigration history motivated her to attend.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy dad is an immigrant, and he\u2019s not a bad person at all,\u201d Rodriguez said. \u201cI want to speak up for those who can\u2019t, and I know that they can\u2019t, and I want to be the voice that they can\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n
Others described frustration with what they see as history repeating itself.<\/p>\n
\u201cEvery human being deserves human rights,\u201d said Rebecca Madison, who said this was her second time attending the River Park protest. \u201cWe\u2019re not progressing \u2014 we\u2019re going back.\u201d<\/p>\n
Grant Harrison, 24, said the current political climate pushed him to attend his first Peace Fresno protest.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201c When I was growing up, it did not seem as\u2026It feels like a really dark time in our country,\u201d Harrison said. \u201cThat\u2019s not something I\u2019m okay with, and I want to speak out against it.\u201d<\/p>\n
A Call to Protest<\/p>\n
Longtime member Ann Merrill said she has watched participation grow significantly over the past year and more people should be involved.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople like myself, who have privileged white skin and, you know, college education or whatever. \u2029To use that privilege to stand with my community members, who are more vulnerable and under attack, right now.\u201d<\/p>\n
Several protestors called on Fresno city leaders to take concrete steps to protect undocumented residents, including refusing to cooperate with ICE and increasing transparency around enforcement activity.<\/p>\n
\u201cLocal officials have power,\u201d Yasin said. \u201cThey can refuse to cooperate with ICE and protect people in this community.\u201d<\/p>\n
Peace Fresno\u2019s demonstrations take place every Saturday, with times adjusted based on weather. The group also holds open meetings on the fourth Thursday of each month at the Center for Nonviolence near Fresno City College. Organizers said they are considering increasing meeting frequency as interest grows.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have an obligation to improve our country, the world, to provide people with their needs, and to enhance humanity,\u201d Merrill said.<\/p>\n