Around 150 people staged a protest outside Rhode Island Hospital Thursday afternoon in response to a Providence man who, in the process of being detained by United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), was reportedly tasered and required medical attention. The protest lasted around two hours and peacefully dispersed after ICE agents took the man from the hospital and carted him away - likely to a detention facility.Members of the Deportation Defense Coalition of Rhode Island, a joint effort of AMOR (Alliance to Mobilize Our Resistance), the Party for Socialism and Liberation, and the Olneyville Neighborhood Association (ONA) organized the protest.Here’s some video:The protest was sparked by a report to the Deportation Defense Line (401-675-1414) after neighbors saw ICE agents in their neighborhood. “Whenever people call about ICE’s presence in the community, we send folks out and mobilize. That’s what happened today in this case,” said Sophia Wright, Communications Director for AMOR. “People in the neighborhood saw one of the agents detaining the man use a taser. That’s the reason this man is in the hospital: ICE used violence to detain him. Our community members saw it happening.” People mobilized at the scene, a neighborhood in the West End. After the man was taken to Rhode Island Hospital by a Providence Rescue, “people mobilized to demand that he be given access to his attorney,” said Wright.“Right now, immigration authorities are preventing the person from accessing their lawyer or any type of representation,” said Wright.A person who claimed to be a witness told me that the detained man was taken off the street by ICE agents after he dropped his child off at school.Attorney Kelvin SantosAttorney Kelvin Santos confirmed that access to his client was denied.“I got a call through a network of attorneys trying to help out people in these situations,” said Santos. “He signed a representation form, which makes it a little strange that we’re not allowed to talk to him directly. We spoke with the hospital’s general counsel, the head of security, and, I believe, a social worker. We asked to speak with him. That was denied, apparently by ICE.“We’re trying to figure out exactly what’s happening with him. I’ve had previous clients getting moved all over the place unexpectedly. You’ll have a bond hearing one day, and then they get moved to New Mexico the day before without notice. I don’t know this gentleman particularly well. I don’t know exactly what he’s accused of. My only concern is that he be granted his right to due process. Given the current climate, with everything going on in the country… Regardless of his actions, he’s entitled to due process. That’s my only concern right now.”“How do you feel about these people gathering?” asked a reporter.“It’s important that people can exercise their First Amendment rights,” said Santos. “I won’t get into the substance of what they’re protesting. I don’t know them. I’m not affiliated with them, but I respect what they’re doing. I respect their willingness, ability, and bravery in coming out here and making their voices heard. Right now, because of what’s been going on, that’s impressive.”June Rose, Chief of Staff for the Providence City Council, represented Council President Rachel Miller outside the hospital.“She wishes she could be here,” said Rose. “She’s unfortunately out of town dealing with a family emergency. I’m representing her because this morning, a member of our community was taken off the streets of a neighborhood, Federal Hill in the West End, that was built on immigration. We love these neighborhoods because of the diversity they’ve brought to our city for generations. Anyone who grew up in Providence knows those neighborhoods are rich and wonderful, and drivers of our entire community, because of immigrants. “The idea that ICE would come to our community, representing Donald Trump’s fascist administration and disappear our community members off the street is infuriating and heartbreaking,” said Rose. “We have to remember the humanity of the people on the other side of these incidents. These are our neighbors, parents, and family members. These are our community members. They deserve the same respect, rights, and dignity as anyone else in our country of immigrants - in our city of immigrants.”“ICE has committed violence against this person by coming to their home and detaining them. Right now, they’ve as good as kidnapped this man,” said Sophia Wright. “That’s why we’re here, because the community doesn’t want to put up with this in Rhode Island. ICE officers shouldn’t be coming to people’s homes, committing violence, and bringing them to places like Rhode Island Hospital, where they have to heal before being detained by an abusive ICE detention center like Wyatt in Central Falls.”Share