On Saturday, February 7, approximately 220 people gathered at Munich’s Geschwister-Scholl-Platz for ICE Out — Munich Memorial March, a solemn vigil and protest organized by the Munich & Southern Bavaria chapter of Democrats Abroad. It was held in response to recent deadly encounters between federal immigration enforcement agents and civilians in Minnesota.

The shootings — including those of Renée Good, killed by an ICE agent and Alex Pretti, shot by Border Patrol agents — have ignited protests and demands for accountability across the United States and around the world.

Beginning in a Place of Resistance

The event opened with welcome remarks from chapter Vice Chair Drew Thomas, who set the tone of the afternoon by grounding the vigil in human dignity and remembrance.

“We gather today to hold space for Alex Pretti and Renée Good, who were killed by U.S. immigration enforcement… We say their names because their lives mattered — and because state violence demands our witness,” he said, paying tribute to both victims and acknowledging the broader toll of immigration enforcement.

Thomas also connected the gathering to its historic location, noting that Geschwister-Scholl-Platz, named for resistance figures Sophie and Hans Scholl, serves as a reminder that moral courage often comes at great cost.

“We stand here at Geschwister-Scholl-Platz… reminding us that moral courage often comes at great cost — and that silence, too, is a choice.”

His words prefaced a moment of silence held by attendees for all those affected by state violence, both named and unseen.

Marching Toward Accountability

After the moment of silence, participants began the peaceful march toward the U.S. Consulate, led by several protest chants. The route passed the White Rose memorial — an intentional choice underscoring the marchers’ commitment to moral resistance.

Once assembled in front of the consulate, Mark Clark delivered powerful reflections on the emotional impact of the violence in Minneapolis, urging solidarity across borders.

“I can say that I felt shock, outrage, anger, disgust, despair, sorrow — often at the same time… one thing we can realistically accomplish is to stand in solidarity with the many groups across America who are protesting against the excesses of ICE.”

Clark drew direct parallels between the marchers’ gathering and historic resistance movements, invoking the legacy of figures, such as the Scholl siblings, executed for dissent during World War II.

Voices of Protest and Poetry

Next, Janet Day-Strehlow spoke passionately against what she described as a systemic pattern of violence and cruelty, saying:

“We say ICE OUT because we refuse to accept a country where armed, unaccountable agents terrorize communities and then tell us it didn’t happen… This is not justice. This is not safety. This is state-sanctioned violence.”

Janet also shared powerful poetry by Amanda Gorman, written in memory of Good and Pretti, intertwining grief with resolve and emphasizing that collective resistance is intertwined with love and humanity.

In a musical interlude, German-American artist Caro Kelley performed protest songs — originals and covers — expressing both lament and defiance. She announced she will also perform at the upcoming No Kings protest on March 28, weaving art into ongoing activism.

Demanding Justice, Not Normalization

Throughout the rally, chants of “ICE out now!” and calls to “Say their names” echoed across the square. Bob Bach, one of the organizers, spoke directly to the moral urgency of the moment:

“There is no freedom without accountability. There is no safety without justice. And there can be no future in which this kind of violence is normalized.”

He stressed that honoring Good and Pretti means ongoing resistance — demanding investigations, accountability, and consequences for the policies and institutions that enabled their deaths.

As the event concluded, participants were thanked for showing up in solidarity and reminded that activism and engagement — from protests to voting abroad — remain essential in the long struggle for justice.

    Thanks to Casey The American for the photos.