Publisher’s Note: Story has been edited to clarify the difference between organizers’ crowd-size estimate and that of others.
MERRIMACK, N.H. – A large crowd gathered outside Merrimack Town Hall on Thursday night, protesting a proposed U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility rumored to be coming to town.
Although event organizers estimated the crowd to be around a thousand, other estimates by town officials were more modest. However, there was no underestimating the sentiment of the crowd, which was clearly anti-ICE.
The event was scheduled for Jan. 8 in advance of the Merrimack Town Council meeting later in the evening, with protesters expecting to speak in opposition to the facility during the meeting’s public comment session.
So far no location within Merrimack has been announced as a planned location for the facility, which was first reported by the Washington Post last month. Regardless, the rally was a chance for people like Paul Taddonio of Litchfield to make their voices heard.
Taddonio said that his anger over the recent actions of ICE were connected to dangerously high blood pressure, according to his doctor.
“To me, this is just an opportunity to protest. I want to let the voters of Merrimack know that a lot of angry people are going to keep on coming if they want to put this shit here. We don’t want this in our state,” he said.
Event organizer Kim Herdman-Shapiro expressed relief that the rally was peaceful after possible tension that could have stemmed from the shooting of Renee Nicole Good by an ICE agent in Minnesota one day earlier.
Herdman-Shapiro, who had lived in Merrimack for 10 years before moving to Amherst, was part of the local coalition that rallied after news of the potential facility was known.
“My position (on ICE) is very fundamental: I believe in the fifth amendment,” she said, referring to the U.S. Bill of Rights. “I believe in due process. I believe that you cannot allow officials, especially men with guns, to drag people off the street for no other reason than the color of their skin or the languages they speak and then allow them to be warehoused away.”
Speakers at the event such as former U.S. Senator Gordon Humphrey (R-NH) and New Hampshire State Representative Wendy Thomas (D-Merrimack) made their case against the facility as many in the audience continued to sing and chant messages in opposition to ICE. Thomas noted the economic detriment to Merrimack if the facility were to become a reality in addition to her moral opposition to the proposal. Humphrey praised the protestors and urged anyone supporting the actions of ICE to examine their conscience.
“Unnecessary violence against unarmed persons, which have included some U.S. citizens, is unconscionable. It’s a violation of the U.S. Constitution and everything that is decent about America,” he said.
Many protesters remained outside as the Merrimack Town Council meeting began with some others heading inside to make their voices heard. Normally, Merrimack Town Council rules prohibit individuals speaking in public comment to reference things not on that night’s meeting agenda, but Council Chair Finlay Rothaus made a motion to suspend the rules and allow Merrimack residents in attendance to share their views on ICE and the proposed facility, noting that the Town Council was limited in the information they held on the subject.
Once his motion passed, 20 Merrimack residents took turns at the microphone to share their opposition from a variety of different perspectives. Some people referenced Thomas’ point, that if the proposed facility came to Merrimack, it would put strain on local traffic and other infrastructure without any local benefit. Others spoke against the behavior of ICE agents and warned that the town face situations where they are legally liable for ICE actions occurring in town. One person noted an incident in Portland, Oregon, unfolding in real time during the Town Council meeting, where ICE agents shot two people. Some shared personal stories of their immigration to the U.S. or the immigration of friends, family or ancestors and how they found the actions of ICE offensive.
Angela Kazazian of Camp Sergent Road, a first-generation immigrant to the U.S. who arrived as a child graduated from Merrimack High School in the 1970s. She said she came to the event and subsequent meeting just to not feel afraid, and like something could be done to oppose ICE as well as the potential facility. The first step, she said, would come from gathering with other members of the community.
“They are banking on us feeling (hopeless),” she said to the Council. “Me standing outside there is saying ‘no, there is something I can do.’”
In addition to the 20 residents, the Town Council noted that it had received emails in opposition to the concept of a facility from State Representatives Rosemary Rung (D-Merrimack), Jeannine Notter (R-Merrimack) and State Senator Tim McGough (R-Merrimack). Town Council Members Jennifer Jobin, Mackenzie Murphy and Nancy Murphy also registered their opposition as individuals to the idea of a facility in Merrimack.
Jobin noted that between this issue and a recent debate over the legality of roosters in Merrimack that it was clear neighbors were not talking to each other face-to-face and civilly sharing viewpoints, something she said needed to change.
“I’d like to make a request of our neighbors this weekend: please turn off the news, take a break from social media, get out and talk to your neighbors,” she said. “Remind yourself why Merrimack is the place we want to call home.”
“Let’s get back to what brings us together,” she added.
Although others at the event were uncertain of the organizers figure of 1,200 attendees, it was clear that the number of counter-protesters numbered exactly two. One of those counter-protesters was Peter Banachevsky, who would only say that he did not live in New Hampshire.
While Banachevsky said he supports the actions of ICE, he would need more information before he could provide an opinion on the potential facility. However, his main reason for attending the event stemmed from the feeling that free speech applied to everyone regardless of their viewpoint.
“We just want to use our opinion as well, to make sure to represent all the people that have our views that are not here,” said Banachevsky, standing across Baboosic Lake Road from the protesters. “A lot of people didn’t want to come out for whatever reason and we just wanted to make sure that we’re being represented as well, and not make it seem as if everyone agreed with them, when they don’t.”
Merrimack Town Manager Paul Micali said that any Merrimack residents who wished to share their input on the proposed facility but could not attend the meeting could e-mail him at pmicali@merrimacknh.gov and that their emails would be added to the minutes of future Town Council meetings.
