South Bay Activists Protest Planned ICE Detention Center in Gilroy, Citing Amazon Data Center Concerns
Approximately 200 activists protested in Gilroy, California, against a planned U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center, with some signs also explicitly opposing data centers. An organizer specifically spoke about fighting an incoming Amazon data center in the city. The protest occurred shortly after the State of California and Santa Clara County filed a lawsuit to halt the ICE facility's construction.
Approximately 200 activists gathered in Gilroy, California, for a "No Kings Day" protest against a planned U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center located at 7240 Holsclaw Rd. The demonstration, organized by groups including Bay Area Resistance and Community Service Organization-San José, featured speeches and a march to the construction site.
While the primary focus was the ICE facility, which also faces a lawsuit from the State of California and Santa Clara County, speakers and protest signs explicitly linked the opposition to other developments. Landon, an organizer with South Valley Community Defense, specifically addressed efforts to fight an "incoming Amazon data center in Gilroy," asserting that corporations and the federal government are exploiting small communities. Signs at the protest included "NO ICE OR DATA CENTERS," indicating a broader local opposition to large-scale development.
Protesters, who marched to the detention center site, also highlighted the historical significance of Holsclaw Road, named after slave-owning pioneers, and raised concerns about potential land contamination from a former agriculture biodiagnostics company on the site. The demonstration concluded with a call for supporters to attend an upcoming Gilroy City Council meeting.