Williamsport, Pa. — As snow fell on the corner of Market and Third streets in Williamsport, one man in a sea of people held a bag of ice melt — not in preparation for icy roads, but in protest of ICE operations across the country.
Organizers of the rally, including local chapters of 50150 and Put People First! PA, estimated the protest’s attendance peaked around 250 between 12 and 2 p.m. on Jan. 11.
Several people stepped up to a microphone at the Bases Loaded monument and shared stories, words of encouragement, and calls to action regarding the recent killings of Renee Good by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer in Minneapolis, and Kieth Porter by an off-duty ICE officer in Los Angeles.
Conversations swayed back and forth between alleged wrongdoing by ICE across the country, to some within Lycoming County. Numerous protestors’ signs depicted or alluded to ICE officers behaving similarly to Nazis or “terror squads.” Others called out President Donald Trump for behaving like a “fascist” for his continued deployment of federal agents to cities across America in the name of cracking down on immigration.
New city councilman shows up, speaks out
The cold didn’t stop new Williamsport City Councilman Jonah Milliken, sworn in on Dec. 4, from showing up and speaking to his community.
Milliken, the only government official to show up to the rally, stood and spoke alongside Rebecca Reitenbach, a representative of Put People First.
Reichenbach shared at the mic that she and many others are tired of seeing profits come before people in the realms of health care, seeking natural resources, policing, and more.
Milliken provided the following statement after the protest concluded:
“Today, members of the community organized quickly and came out to voice collective frustration, and I am proud to stand with them.
“There is no shortage of problems to solve in our community, and as the new guy on council, I look forward to hitting the ground running and tackling those challenges. However, not one of those challenges is improved by ICE separating families and covertly deporting people from our community — that only creates a culture of fear.
“The reality is this not just some national issue that we are removed from. I met with a woman a few days ago who grew up in Williamsport just like I did — her spouse was taken by ICE a week ago.
“This is happening here. It is hurting people in our community, every single day. I came out today to show solidarity with the 250 or so other people who don’t believe that our neighbors should live in fear.”
A friend taken at the courthouse
A woman at the demonstration said held a sign referring to “Darsh,” whom she described as a local man and friend of her social circle who was detained by federal authorities Friday after reporting to the Lycoming County Courthouse for a probation-related appointment.
She said Darsh, who attended college locally and has lived and worked in the area for years, was taken into custody despite having only a DUI on his record. According to her account, changes in federal enforcement policy have made such offenses grounds for deportation.
She said ICE agents later went to the home of a relative who had dropped Darsh off at the courthouse and informed the family he was detained and being held.
She said she did not know the spelling of Darsh’s last name, but described the situation as “sickening” and said community members feel alarmed but determined to speak out.
Justice from Newberry speaks
A man who identified himself as Justice said he attended the demonstration as a father of two daughters, saying recent events made the issue feel deeply personal.
A few tears fell down Justice’s face as he described growing up alongside family members of mixed race, witnessing unequal treatment by police, and later traveling extensively and working with immigrants, who he said were focused on improving their lives and supporting their families.
Justice also cited his own reliance on the Affordable Care Act after a serious car crash that left him with broken vertebrae and long-term medical needs for both himself and his wife, saying access to health care was lifesaving. He said he fears efforts to roll back health care protections and women’s rights could directly affect his children.
Justice criticized what he described as failures of de-escalation by ICE officers in the fatal shooting of Renee Good, rejecting claims that the killing was justified.
He said he walked more than two miles from Newberry — holding a sign the whole way — to attend the event and make his views visible, adding that he was raised to stand up for others and felt a responsibility to speak out rather than remain silent.
Counter-protester calls police for ‘assault’
Around 1:15 p.m., a young man sporting signs saying “F**K ALL ILLEGALS” and “WE LOVE ICE” began rounding the bases at Market and Third streets.
He stopped in front of The Puff Cave and called police, claiming a man “just assaulted me because he didn’t like my signs.”
“I saw them protesting so I wanted to protest, too,” the boy said, on what prompted him to come to the rally.
An “old guy in green” threw water on the boy, he told police and the media. The police did not respond to the call despite the boy claiming he was assaulted.
“It’s your lucky day,” he called out to the alleged water-thrower after learning police were not coming. He remained in the area of the protest holding his signs, followed closely by purple-vested organizers who ensured he and other protestors did not escalate action beyond their peaceful demonstrations.
‘It can’t stop here’
One speaker, a young local resident who attends the University of Pittsburgh, said he was encouraged by the turnout despite the weather, and said hearing others share their personal experiences was especially meaningful.
He told the crowd that demonstrations alone are not enough, and there was a need for continued organizing beyond a single event.
He pointed to local organizers and community groups already doing that work and said sustained efforts — including working groups, protests, and mutual aid — are needed to support the community.
He said meaningful change begins at the local level, particularly in small towns like Williamsport, and builds outward from there.
