Protest at Massachusetts ICE Facility Leads to Arrests of Eight Mainers

A group of 11 anti-ICE protesters, including eight Mainers, was arrested in Burlington, Massachusetts, for trespassing at an ICE facility on Tuesday, where they went to deliver food and items to detainees.

[RELATED: Portland PD Arrests Six Anti-ICE Protesters for Causing Disturbance at Residence Inn…]

A group of approximately 40 protesters, including multiple left-wing pastors, gathered at the Burlington facility as part of their “Care Package 3.0: We Are All in this Together” protest.

One protester who was arrested, James Gertmenian, former minister at Plymouth Congregational Church, Minneapolis, posted footage of the arrests on Facebook.

“Much of our contingent came from Maine, because Mainers are among those being held at the facility. We also brought gifts (maple syrup) to be given to the ICE employees . . . as a sign that we recognize our common humanity with them. We were turned away, of course, and the Burlington police took us in custody. Not for long, though. We were released about 3 hours later . . . with a court date to be set later,” said Germantian.

“The police captain lectured us about how our action was a waste of our time and of police time, saying that it was “unreasonable” to try to work out national political issues in a small town like Burlington. After we were released, I reminded him that while our action was small and seemingly insignificant, we are part of a much larger resistance movement that will, in the end, help to make things right,” he added.

According to the Portland Press Herald, the event included protesters singing “We Shall Not Be Moved” and “We Shall Overcome” before they allegedly trespassed at the facility and were arrested.

The outlet also reported that some protesters carried “Never Again” signs apparently comparing the deportation of illegal immigrants back to their home countries to the systematic murder of millions in the Holocaust.

Another participant, Fred Small, “Minister for Climate Justice” at Arlington Street Church – Unitarian Universalist in Massachusetts, provided more information in his own post, claiming that this was the group’s third attempt to deliver items to the detainees.

“I was honored to lead some of the singing at this morning’s action, our third attempt to deliver food, clothing, and essentials to immigrant detainees at the Burlington, Massachusetts, ICE Field Office,” said Small.

Small also claimed that the event was organized primarily by a group of Quakers from Maine.

The Portland paper reported that all the arrested protesters were charged with criminal trespass and disturbing the peace and identified them as:

• Gertmenian, of Cumberland.
• Kim Matthews, of Westbrook, a retired civil rights attorney.
• Meg Albright, of Freeport.
• Natasha Mayers, of Whitefield.
•  Rev. Mair Honan, of Freeport, founder of Grace-Street Ministry in Portland.
•  Stephanie Morris.
• Elizabeth Patten, of Freeport.
•  Sandra Thomas, of Bremen.
• Ella Tabasky, of Brunswick.
• Minga Claggett-Borne, of Cambridge, Massachusetts.
• Josh Model, of Lexington, Massachusetts.
• Rebecca Tabasky, of Groton, Massachusetts