Ohio residents are accusing one of the state’s most beloved public institutions of taking a political stance after North Market’s official Instagram account was spotted liking an opinion article that framed Renee Good as a criminal, a narrative critics say was used to justify her fatal shooting by ICE agents.
The controversy surfaced this week on the Columbus subreddit, where users shared screenshots and quickly pushed the discussion into triple-digit upvotes. The post, titled “North Market liking pro-ICE social media,” ignited a fierce debate about whether the long-running food hall had crossed a line or simply made a careless social media mistake.
“I wonder how their vendors feel about the North Market supporting ICE?” the original poster wrote, a question that resonated with many in a city where immigrant-owned businesses and immigrant labor are deeply woven into the local food scene.
One comment summarized the raw anger felt by many critics:
“Without immigrant labor, immigrant patronage, and immigrant cuisine, North Market is literally just a parking lot full of dead bodies.”
That remark became something of a rallying cry for users who see the “like” not as a neutral action, but as an implicit endorsement of an op-ed they described as “horrific” and “fascist.” Several commenters stressed that the article wasn’t a straight news report, but an opinion piece arguing that Good’s death was the result of “lawlessness.”
Others urged caution. Some Redditors suggested the like could have been accidental, the result of an employee forgetting to switch accounts, or even an automated engagement script. “A lot of local businesses auto-engage with posts by other local businesses just to boost visibility,” one user noted. Another added that Instagram’s interface can make it unclear what exactly is being liked.
Still, that explanation failed to satisfy critics. The original poster said they checked the account’s activity history and rejected automation as an excuse. “Not that I would personally find that an acceptable excuse,” they added.
The discussion soon expanded beyond North Market itself, pulling in broader anger toward ICE. One commenter pointed to alleged violations of judicial orders by the agency, writing bluntly, “Since when is a gang-land style state execution the punishment for civil disobedience?”
As of publication, North Market and the North Market Development Authority have not issued a public statement addressing the Instagram activity or the backlash. Whether the like was intentional, accidental, or algorithmic, the reaction highlights how quickly a single tap can escalate into a public relations crisis, especially in Ohio cities where food, culture, and politics are closely intertwined.
For now, the debate continues online, with Columbus residents split between those demanding accountability and those warning against reading too much into a single social media interaction. What’s clear is that for many Ohioans, North Market is more than a place to eat, and they expect it to know that.
