via email. includes literature distribution, sidewalk sign holdin', and telling encounters with various goons in uniform. anybody who went have photos?

- - warning - - contains subjective reporting - Rafael

Yesterday, [Saturday, August 11th, 2007 - /R] around 30 people showed up in front of the Federal Building in Tacoma. While we were there, about a dozen people were down at the detention facility being watched by private riot cops.

When we moved to set up in front of the Federal Building, we noticed three private security guards and one male individual with an ICE badge, gun, and a bad haircut. He informed us that the sidewalk in front of the building was federal property and that we would be arrested if we did not move. It was obvious that he was lying and so some us stayed where we were and others went off to hand out literature at a festival that was going on nearby.

The ICE agent continued to try and make us leave but his lies were too obvious. The Tacoma PD arrived later and informed us that we were actually on City property and that we would not be arrested. We stayed where we were, ate food and passed out literature. The response from the public was about 50/50. Some people had no idea there even was a detention facility in Tacoma. Others expressed sincere concern at what was happening and eagerly listened to what we had to say.

We later moved to within the festival that was taking place and set up there. We stayed until all of our literature was gone and then left. The whole event lasted about 4 hours.

The ICE agent, writing from dhs.ice@gmail.com (which you should write to whenever you have time) sent this email to our list. He is unfortunately right. ICE is not a part of the NSA but the DHS. Sorry about the confusion. Most of do in fact know this (as our pamphlets from yesterday prove). One of us did not. Here is his email:

"Get a clue moron. ICE is not a branch of the National Security Agency. ICE is located within the United States Department of Homeland Security. Are you kidding me? You want to organize a smash ICE and you don't even know who they are, what they do or what branch of the government they work for? Dude, you need to find another hobby. What about PETA or Canucks for French road signs? I'm going to be keeping an "i" on you dude."

This man is a deranged individual who had his power challenged yesterday. This is his attempt to intimidate us. But, just as he was yesterday, this individual is full of shit. He is not keeping an "i" on anyone.

However, an ICE agent WAS there yesterday and his job was probably to single out people who looked like they might be "illegal". This should be kept in mind at all times. Anyone with any legal trouble should probably not come to future events unless there is sufficient protection. Smash ICE cannot guarantee that protection. Sorry.

All in all, yesterday was a positive event. Because of the festival, numerous people were exposed to our information who otherwise would not have been. The knowledge of the detention facilities existence spread a little further and the reality of the raids was sunk a little deeper into some people's mind. Thank you to everyone who showed up.

-Smash ICE