Gov. Abbott deployed Texas National Guard soldiers to SA in advance of the demonstrations. City officials urged participants to remain peaceful.
SAN ANTONIO — A crowd of about 200 protesters gathered outside San Antonio City Hall on Wednesday evening to speak against federal policies and this month’s nationwide immigration crackdown, eventually marching around the block.
The protest, one of at least two planned in downtown this week, was expected to eventually make its way to the Alamo, where a few dozen protesters could be seen, as well as local and state police. Later in the evening, around 10 p.m., the Alamo Plaza crowd grew larger and law enforcement could be seen detaining at least one individual.
It’s unknown how many may have been taken into custody on Wednesday evening, but protests remained largely peaceful and confrontation-free over the course of about four hours. At least 300 people are estimated to have participated.
The demonstrations followed a similar march on Sunday that remained peaceful. Participants have largely spoked out against ICE detainment tactics and the policies of the Trump administration, which recently set a goal of 3,000 immigration-related arrests a day.
One protester wore a shirt reading, “No one is illegal on stolen land.” Others held Mexican flags and carried signs reading “We the people say enough is enough” and “Keep ICE out of our community.”
“This isn’t just about me, this is about future generations,” said one woman who said she was a mother of three. “I identify as a humanitarian. The fact you’re stripping away peoples’ rights, whether it’s due process (or something else), is absolutely wrong.”
“The United States is in distress,” she added.
Another man who led early-arriving participants in a moment of meditation called the effects of the federal government’s policies “a mass injustice.”
“It’s important that we show up together as a society,” he said. “It’s important that we show up as a culture, for our people.”
PHOTOS: San Antonio protesters decry Trump immigration policies
A participant handed out free shirts and flags to those in attendance as the event was getting underway. Later he spoke to the crowd through a megaphone.
“Let’s be clear: Seeking a better life is not a crime,” he said. “(Wanting) safety should never be punished with handcuffs or deportation.”
Councilman Marc Whyte, the District 10 representative, was also near City Hall. He called some of the protesters’ signs and gestures, including an upside-down American flag being carried by some participants, as “very unfortunate.”
“Everybody has a right to peacefully protest,” Whyte said. “You can do it in a way that’s not disrespectful to our country or law enforcement… the fact that people say these things about this great country bothers me.”
On May 28, an ICE spokesperson said dozens were detained as part of agency operations carried out by plain-clothed agents in downtown San Antonio. Among those arrested was a young Cuban man who, according to his mother, was being taken away just as he had arrived for an immigration hearing.
The local arrests of migrants have continued from there, though ICE personnel have not provided exact numbers. Those taken into custody reportedly include mothers and children.
National Guard ‘on standby’
Protests unfolded as Texas National Guard soldiers remained on standby in San Antonio in case things turned unruly. Governor Greg Abbott’s office confirmed the deployment Tuesday night, saying, “Texas will not tolerate the lawlessness we have seen in Los Angeles.”
Since last Friday, anti-ICE demonstrations involving thousands in LA have grown increasingly tense, resulting in police using tear gas, rubber bullets and flash-bang grenades. On Tuesday, nearly 200 arrests were made, including 67 taken into custody for unlawfully occupying part of the freeway.
On Wednesday morning, Mayor Ron Nirenberg and other city leaders welcomed those who wanted to make their voices heard to do so, while also urging them to remain peaceful.
“I understand the fatigue and the frustration with what’s going on. We should speak out against the cruelty of the administration,” the outgoing mayor said. “At the same time, we need to maintain peace in our communities. That’s the most powerful form of opposition, and I trust we’ll continue in that tradition.”
Another, potentially larger protest is expected to take place Saturday evening at Travis Park. That demonstration will be part of a national “No Kings” movement that promises to be “the largest single-day mobilization since President Trump returned to office.” Organizers of that event say they are committed to nonviolent action.