Story by Lucille Lannigan, reporter
RICHMOND HILL – About 80 people in Richmond Hill gathered on Ford Avenue to protest against current federal immigration overreach in light of the deaths of U.S. citizens Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minnesota earlier this month.
Locals lined the sidewalk in front of the Richmond Hill Fire Station from 10 a.m. until noon, waving American, Ukrainian flags and signs with messages like “Be Pretti Good” and “No more murder. No more ICE.”
Thousands of Americans joined in protests nationwide after ICE agents in Minneapolis murdered Alex Pretti, Jan. 24, a 37-year-old intensive care nurse for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
Kyla Goodwin, a Richmond Hill resident and protest organizer, said the protest is about condemning hypocrisy on both sides of the political spectrum.
“In Georgia, I feel like people really pride themselves on being for the Constitution,” she said. “The hypocrisy behind it all is disturbing. It’s not one side or the other. It’s caring about people, something we all should have interest in.”
Similar protests and general strikes happened throughout the week in neighboring Savannah as well, but organizers in Richmond Hill said it was important to show up locally.
Nisha Giustino, protest organizer and a Richmond Hill resident, called Richmond Hill "a changing community". She has lived in the city since 2017, and she said it was time for residents to have representation and a place to advocate for their freedoms locally.
“I’m tired of having to go to Savannah and other big cities…we shouldn’t have to travel to have representation,” Giustino said. “We decided to do this to build a presence in our community.”
Giustino said when she first posted to social media about the protest, she had many people message her, saying they supported the movement but were afraid to show up in-person for fear of retribution in the community.
“When you create a hostile environment in which individuals are afraid to exercise their first amendment, that’s unacceptable,” she said “I don’t give a crap about Democrat or Republican. I support our constitution. When people use the Bible or Constitution [just] to fit their narrative, that’s ridiculous.”
The Richmond Hill protesters stayed warm with coffee and hot chocolate, and welcomed each other with hugs and smiles. Many recognized each other from previous local protests, including “No Kings Day,” another nationwide demonstration, as well as protests against the shooting death of Ahmaud Arbery, a 25-year-old Black man who was shot and killed while jogging by three white men in Brunswick, Ga. in 2020.
“It’s important for people in the community who might not want to come out to see that there are people who will support them,” Goodwin said. “I’m proud of everybody here. You’re either for it all or against it all. Everybody gets to have rights, otherwise none of us truly have rights.”
Lucille Lannigan is a Regional Growth and Development Reporter with the Bryan County News. Reach her at llannigan@morrisnews.com.
