Throughout the East End, residents gathered in parks and public meeting places Friday evening in memory of Renee Nicole Good, a Minneapolis mother who was killed by an ICE agent on Wednesday as she and her partner attempted to document the federal immigration agency’s actions in their community.
We were in Greenport’s Mitchell Park for the vigil, where Kathryn Casey Quigley led the community in a reading of the names of people who have died as a result of ICE actions since the administration began its ongoing series of raids across the country last year.
Pastor Natalie Wimberly of Greenport’s Clinton Memorial AME Zion Church then led the community in prayer.
The organizer of the events, Anita Boyer, posted this video of scenes compiled from vigils throughout the East End:
Original Story Follows:
Numerous vigils are being held throughout the East End from 6 to 7 p.m. this evening in memory of Renee Nicole Good, a mother of three who was shot to death by ICE agents in Minneapolis on Wednesday.
The vigils, organized by Anita Boyer, who has been active in protests against ICE activity on the East End, will be held at Macy’s in Hampton Bays, at the Sag Harbor Windmill, at Agawam Park in Southampton, at Mitchell Park in Greenport, at the Village Green in Westhampton Beach, on the lawn of the East Quogue United Methodist Church and at Riverhead Town Hall.
Attendees are encouraged to bring a flashlight or a candle.
OLA of Eastern Long Island, which runs a Rapid Response network that trains volunteers to document ICE activities on the North Fork, invited those who feel safe to participate in the vigils in a social media post on Thursday.
“We are deeply grateful for our community and the care we hold for one another. Participation is always a personal choice, please join if you feel safe to do so,” said OLA in the post. “There are many ways to show support, and every act of care, respect, and concern matters. Thank you for standing with love, near and far.”
As part of the Trump administration’s change in immigration enforcement actions, federal officers have scoured the country since he took office nearly one year ago. These actions have been well-documented on the East End, where federal officers have conducted regular small scale raids and several major sweeps of East End communities, in Greenport, Riverhead, Hampton Bays and Westhampton, over the course of the past year.
Residents throughout the East End have repeatedly approached the Suffolk County Legislature and local town boards asking them to stand up for immigrants living here.
East End lawmakers have begun to weigh in on the deadly shooting in Minneapolis.
State Assemblyman Tommy John Schiavoni called it “a clear demonstration of the dangers of having heavily armed federal agents in our communities…. Masked ICE agents are roaming towns and cities across the country in pursuit of individuals regardless of due process, and this inhumane use of deadly force should be highly scrutinized.”
“As the appropriate authorities investigate the killing of Renee Nicole Good, arbitrarily labeling an American citizen a ‘professional agitator’ and a ‘domestic terrorist’ is in clear violation of due process afforded to all in the U.S. Constitution and state constitutions,” he added. “The actions that ICE has taken directly harm the relationship of trust between public officials, law enforcement, and the public, putting civilians and law enforcement in danger.”
“My heart is with her family, friends, and the community grieving this tragic and wholly unnecessary loss of life,” said Suffolk County Legislator Greg Doroski in a social media post Thursday. “I also grieve for our country, which continues to drift further from the “city upon a hill” our founders envisioned – a nation grounded in the rule of law, respect for human dignity, and a commitment to moral leadership.”
“As a former Police Commissioner, I have long warned that the escalation of federal enforcement actions and their tactics endanger everyone—civilians and law enforcement officers alike. This shooting is a clear demonstration of these dangers,” he added. “While the investigation is ongoing, it is deeply disturbing to see federal officials attempt to politicize this incident and dehumanize the victim instead of taking responsibility and allowing the facts to speak for themselves. As more information emerges, the full truth must be known, shared and discussed. Public safety depends on trust, accountability, and unwavering respect for constitutional rights. We must all work together to prevent similar future tragedies.”
Southampton Town Councilman Michael Iasilli concurred: “Yesterday’s actions have certainly shaken the confidence necessary for public trust in federal immigration efforts,” he said on Thursday. “I call on our federal representatives to exercise proper oversight authority to ensure the safety of our local communities. We want policies and actions that protect our neighbors rather than endanger them.”
We will update this post with more information as it becomes available.
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