On a bitter cold street corner nurses, union workers, musicians, and other folks gathered to remember the life of Veterans Administration (VA) Intensive Care Unit nurse and American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 3669 Union member Alex Pretti and mother of three, writer, and musician Renee Good. 

Pretti and Good were murdered in separate incidents by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in Minneapolis last month. Both were participating in peaceful protests against ICE violence in the city at the time of their murders.

In response, the Ohio AFL-CIO organized a vigil across from the Chalmers P. Wylie Ambulatory Care VA hospital in Whitehall. 

Jason Perlman, Political Director of the Ohio AFL-CIO was among those who spoke: “Tonight, we honor the lives of our union brother, Alex Pretti, Renee Good, Keith Porter, Jr. and the countless names we don’t know who have died in these for-profit, so-called detention centers. Columbus, do we believe our own eyes? Do we know what we saw? Two citizens were  gunned down because they chose love over fear.”

The vigil comes against a backdrop of escalating ICE activity in the Columbus area. In December, ICE executed the obscenely named “Operation Buckeye,” a brutal terror campaign to detain at least 280 people over a few days just before the Christmas holiday. Many in Columbus fear that the extreme violence of ICE in Minneapolis is only the beginning and that a similar crackdown by federal agents may arrive in the city in coming weeks.

“What we’re seeing in Minneapolis, in Springfield, in Columbus, reminds me of things I saw during my service in Afghanistan. I never thought I’d have to see it here. This isn’t the democracy we fought to protect” recalled Adam Miller, who has represented both the 6th and 17th districts in the Ohio House or Representatives.

The vigil was covered live by ABC6 with additional coverage by NBC4. Among those gathered was local labor-folk group the Gadflies, who led the vigil in singing Solidarity Forever, We Shall Overcome, and other union hymns in recognition of Alex Pretti’s AFGE affiliation and fellow musician Renee Good.

Despite the frigid weather, dozens of demonstrators lingered with candles and signs for nearly two hours as drivers in cars passing by honked and waved in support.

Perlman pointed to the next phase of the movement: “Columbus, tonight we need to straighten our backs and stand a little taller. Can you stand taller? Dr. King reminded us that the man can only ride us if our backs are bent. So let us stand tall for Brother Pretti. Stand tall for Renee Good, Keith Porter Jr and all those unjustly detained.  Stand tall for our Latino community. Stand tall for our Haitian neighbors in Springfield and our Somali community in Central Ohio.”