Demonstrators in Montreal came together on Sunday to voice their opposition to the immigration enforcement actions carried out by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). They criticized the tactics employed by the agency and highlighted Canadian involvement in them.
A crowd of protesters gathered outside the U.S. Consulate in downtown Montreal following the recent deaths of two American citizens at the hands of federal agents in Minneapolis. Michael Lipset, a co-organizer and Minneapolis native now residing in Montreal, emphasized that the violence perpetrated by ICE in the U.S. will not be condoned anywhere.
Lipset also drew attention to Canadian companies like Hootsuite, Roshel, and GardaWorld that have business connections with ICE. The demonstrators, armed with winter gear and loudspeakers, marched in front of the U.S. consular building on Sainte-Catherine Street before proceeding to Dorchester Square.
Chanting “From Minnesota to Montreal, we won’t stop until ICE falls,” the protesters expressed solidarity with Americans opposing the immigration enforcement methods used in various U.S. cities. Lynn Worrell underscored the need for Canada to cease exporting military equipment to U.S. agencies if there is a risk of enabling human rights abuses.
Worrell highlighted the presence of Roshel-made armoured vehicles during the incident involving the killing of Alex Pretti, emphasizing that Canada shares responsibility for supporting ICE. The weekend concluded with a rally in Montreal following a series of protests across North America.
In Vancouver, demonstrators gathered outside Hootsuite headquarters on Friday to demand an end to contracts associated with ICE. Similar protests occurred throughout the U.S. as part of a broader resistance against the Trump administration’s immigration policies. These actions were spurred by the recent deaths of Alex Pretti and Renée Good, fueling public outrage.