About a hundred people showed up for a vigil on the Green in Bloomfield.
BLOOMFIELD — A vigil was held on the Green Friday night for Renee Good, who was fatally shot during an interaction with a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer in Minnesota.
Several organizations were involved including the Bloomfield Immigrant Justice Network, the Bloomfield DEI Network, Montclair Sundays and the Bloomfield Sustainability Network.
More than 100 people showed up with some holding lit candles while others spoke about the death of Good.
“We were all doing things separately but came together to do things in unity,” said Clare Mooney of the Bloomfield Sustainability Network.
Mooney said the extrajudicial killing of Good has parallels in Nazi Germany.
“Our focus tonight is to remind those who have forgotten the historic parallels in what is happening today to the Gestapo,” Mooney said.
Stefanie Santiago, of the Bloomfield Immigrant Justice Network, said she would like to see the police department investigating and reporting on local ICE encounters/arrests to ensure laws were obeyed, with respect to the privacy of those unlawfully being detained. Mandating law enforcement to act as inactive bystanders is not enough and leaves the risk to public safety that comes with ICE in tact. She said there have been four or five ICE sightings reported in the township.
Santiago also read a list of people who have been killed by ICE agents this year and mentioned that 32 people have died in ICE custody.
“Over the last 48 hours we have seen the contempt our government has for ordinary citizens,” Santiago said. Good’s “murder shocked us as we saw citizenship lose its protection.”
Mooney, who said she didn’t think it was right that ICE agents wear masks, also said she’d like to see local leaders say ICE was not welcome in Bloomfield.
Rabbi Marc Katz of Temple Ner Tamid in Bloomfield spoke, telling people to speak out when they see something wrong and noting the symbolism of the candles that many people held during the vigil.
“When we light our candles, we are each bringing a little bit of light into dark times,” Katz said. Bloomfield Councilmember Tracy Toler-Phillips spoke about Good. “A woman was shot in the face in broad daylight,” Toler-Phillips said. “Her children’s toys bore witness. If a mother isn’t safe dropping her children off at school none of us is safe.”
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