On May 3, a caravan protest in the Denver suburb of Aurora, Colo., demanded the release of all prisoners while drawing attention to the conditions at the GEO Group’s Aurora concentration camp for migrants. The caravan passed through the neighborhoods of the GEO Aurora warden, Johnny Choate, and the regional Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) director, John Fabbricatore.
Signs on cars demanded “Free them all” and “Confront La Migra where they live.”
The caravan was sponsored by Denver Communists and Abolish ICE Denver. An earlier protest march in the streets of Choate’s suburban neighborhood was held last September.
Five guards at the private prison, under contract to ICE, have tested positive for COVID-19. However, the prison has not released information on whether or not inmates have been tested, or, if so, whether they have tested positive.
ICE has taken advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic to continue to push its illegal actions, and in doing so has caused the pandemic to spread. Twenty percent of all COVID-19 cases in Guatemala came from ICE deportations to that country. ICE is complacent and directly responsible for not only amplifying the COVID-19 crisis in the Denver area but also internationally.
Caravan members maintained social distancing at all times, honking their horns and drawing attention to the mistreatment of the inmates who have faced not only the COVID-19 pandemic, but also outbreaks of mumps, chickenpox and many other infectious diseases. The caravan drew interest and support from Black and Brown neighbors of Choate and Fabbricatore, who had been unaware of their crimes.
The Aurora Police Department stood by as counterprotesters in MAGA hats defied social distancing, attempting to assault members of the caravan and key their cars. The Aurora cops have recently been under fire for their racist actions against Latinx residents and other abuses. Luckily, no members of the caravan were harmed.
Denver metro residents have made it clear that they want ICE and their Gestapo tactics out of their communities.
Photos: Abolish ICE Denver
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