Hundreds of people packed Ocean Beach yesterday, lining up in the sand to form a giant human banner that spelled out “ABOLISH” in a visually driven protest aimed at Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Organizers described the event as one of several Bay Area actions tied to nationwide protests following two recent shootings involving federal immigration agents.
Participants stood shoulder to shoulder in the sand and tilted their signs and flags toward drone cameras to shape the block letters, with many holding placards that read “We have eyes, no more lies,” as aerial photographers documented the finished message, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. The Chronicle’s photos show the huge word and the crowd that formed it, and noted that the action was coordinated with other Bay Area vigils and bike rides held the same day.
How the banner came together
Organizers from Indivisible SF spent days lining up volunteers and asked people to arrive early, so drone crews could photograph the letters at noon, according to Indivisible SF. The human-banner technique, which relies on assigning “letter captains” and carving guides into the sand, has been used repeatedly in San Francisco by travel writer Brad Newsham and designer Travis Van Brasch for earlier messages like “IT WAS MURDER - ICE OUT,” the San Francisco Bay Times reported.
Why protesters rallied
Organizers said the Ocean Beach action was meant to protest two recent killings the group links to federal immigration enforcement: the Jan. 7 shooting of Renée Good and the Jan. 24 death of Alex Pretti. The Washington Post has detailed the circumstances around Good’s killing, and NBC News reported that investigators are reviewing body-camera video and eyewitness footage from the Pretti shooting that have fueled national calls for accountability.
Local and national response
The Ocean Beach banner was one part of a packed weekend of actions. Students and community groups staged walkouts and rallies across the Bay Area, including a large turnout at Dolores Park, and organizers said hundreds of demonstrations were planned nationwide. SFGATE and the Guardian reported on coordinated local and national actions calling for an end to aggressive ICE operations.
Legal and political fallout
The twin deaths have generated immediate political and legal pressure. Minnesota officials sued to halt the federal enforcement operation, and a federal judge this week declined to order an immediate end to the deployment while the broader case moves forward, the Washington Post reported. Elected leaders and civil rights groups continue to push for independent investigations and for agencies to release body camera footage to state investigators.
Organizers at the beach said the stunt was intended to keep public attention focused on demands for accountability and to show solidarity with Minneapolis, and they urged participants to keep turning out for local actions in the days ahead, Indivisible SF said. They added that photographs from the day are likely to circulate widely online as activists continue pressing officials for answers.
