Demonstrations against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) continued in Marion County on Saturday outside of downtown Ocala, with a group of protestors holding signs along an overpass above Interstate 75.
On Saturday, Jan. 10, a group of protestors was spotted on an overpass along I-75, displaying large banners to the traffic below.
One banner read “NO KINGS IN AMERICA!” while another stated “ICE KILLED RENEE!” referencing the recent death of Renee Nicole Good. Participants were also seen waving American flags along the fenced walkway.
The highway demonstration followed a gathering earlier that morning in downtown Ocala, where individuals lined East Silver Springs Boulevard at 10 a.m. to voice opposition to ICE.
Both local protests were sparked by the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Good by an ICE agent in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Wednesday, Jan. 7.
According to reports, Good was in her SUV on a residential street in south Minneapolis near an ongoing ICE enforcement operation on the morning of the incident. Video footage shows her vehicle stopped in the road as federal agents approached. Witnesses and local officials have stated that Good and her wife were acting as legal observers to document the agents’ activities.
As agents surrounded the vehicle, conflicting commands were reportedly shouted. As Good attempted to leave the area, an ICE agent identified as Jonathan Ross fired multiple shots into the vehicle at close range, fatally wounding her.
The incident has drawn sharply conflicting narratives. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the White House have characterized Good as a “domestic terrorist,” alleging she “weaponized” her vehicle to attack federal officers. Officials noted that Agent Ross had been dragged by a vehicle in a separate incident six months prior, suggesting he feared for his life.
However, Minneapolis city officials and witnesses dispute the federal account, describing the shooting as reckless. They maintain Good was attempting to flee a confusing and escalating situation rather than attacking the agents. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey publicly rejected the self-defense claim after viewing video of the incident and has criticized the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for taking exclusive control of the investigation, locking out state agencies like the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.
Saturday’s events mark the latest in a series of political demonstrations in Ocala and Marion County that date back to the beginning of last year.
In September, demonstrators also held signs above an overpass along I-75.
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