Far too many businesses refuse to take a stand on what should be done when immigration enforcement comes knocking. Now, many are concerned about how Target has all but stayed silent about what happens when ICE comes into the store to look for customers and employees. Now, protesters are speaking up and even boycotting. In a recent TikTok video, protesters shared their feelings at a Target in Minnesota.
“We don’t like Target’s policy with ICE! Target is allowing ICE to take their employees!” the video caption reads, posted by TikToker Travelinghm. Instead of outright banning ICE agents from entering, Target has chosen to focus on de-escalation. However, they do not currently have an agreement with ICE’s activities, but doing nothing is still doing something.
Several protesters then appeared at the Target in St. Louis, breaking out into a song in the middle of the sore. The lyrics they sing state, “Abolish ICE” and state that we need to “keep our city safe” from ICE. They urge Target to “do the right thing” by protecting employees and others who enter Target stores.
Unfortunately, their singing comes to an end when a Target employee says “solicitation” isn’t permitted inside the store and requests they stop. He does, however, ask if they have any information he can pass on to others about their message. One of the protesters says “Yes!” and hands him a letter to pass on to the CFO of the company. She says it’s a letter stating that those in charge at Target need to “be a leader” during these difficult times.
The employee then tells the protesters to keep their protests outside, where they can continue to share their message. The way the crowd is fired up, they have a lot to say about ICE’s inhumane treatment of Americans and immigrants.
As they leave the store to retreat past the parking lot, they clap and state, “ICE OUT NOW!”
One commenter hilariously stated, “Not me singing along clapping.”
Another said, “So respectfully done. Bravo! Thanks for speaking up and being honest!”
“Unfortunately I feel Thomas threw that paper in the trash,” another suggested.
Others called the protesters “annoying,” voiced disgust with images and GIFs, or asked how this would solve anything. Considering the video made it to their timeline, I’d argue the protesters succeeded in spreading their message. There was no violence; there was no shouting. Sure, they had to relocate, but these people came with a mission in mind and they handled it in a respectful way.
