Hundreds gather in downtown Olympia to protest ICE. ‘We want our country back’
Around 200 people concerned about U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement took those concerns to downtown Olympia Monday evening and gathered for a protest along Fourth Avenue at the Heritage Park Fountain.
They stood on Fourth Avenue, many holding anti-ICE signs, and waved at passing traffic. Many drivers responded by honking their car horns in support of the gathering.
Federal immigration officials have come under scrutiny this month after the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis.
Some who participated in Monday’s protest said they were spurred to participate in light of what’s happening in Minnesota.
With Good and Pretti in mind, Olympia resident Kiki Jones said she was inspired “to come down and show up for the people that can’t defend themselves, and I know they’re just two people of many, many victims of this dictatorship, the Trump administration.”
“Like, I spent all weekend just wondering, like, what could I do? How can I show up? And I saw this event (the protest) posted on Instagram, and I thought the time is now,” Jones said. “The time to show up is now.”
Fellow Olympia resident Chelsea Williams said all should be showing up to show they’re not OK with what’s happening in the country right now.
“We have to be the best example and lead by example,” she said. “We have to show up and share energy, and show other people that if they’re feeling nervous, that they’re not alone, and we’re out here, we can find each other, and we can do something.”
Resident Porter Withers said it’s important to uphold the Constitution.
“I love America,” he said. “I love what it stands for, and what’s happening currently doesn’t go with the values of America, and I think those should be upheld, and people need to stand up in order for those to come back.”
Doug Barker said he doesn’t disagree with the notion that the country needs rules and regulations for immigration.
“That seems like common sense, but this cruelty and intimidation, it just doesn’t ... I don’t understand it,” he said. “I’m suspicious of it and I think it’s meant to cow all of us in some sense in society.”
Why did resident Brandee Era-Williams want to be there on Monday?
“It’s important to me because it’s important for our future as a country,” she said. “I have a 12-year-old daughter, and I want her to live in the country that I thought I grew up in, which was a country of democracy, of justice for all, of love thy neighbor and to accept immigrants. This whole country was built on immigrants.”
If Congress can’t take the country back, the people need to, she said.
“We have to yell and scream and show that we don’t want this anymore,” she said. “We want our country back. We want lawfulness. We want our constitution to be followed, and we want love to prevail.”
Some protesters marched to the city’s west side
A smaller group later marched to the city’s west side, according to Olympia police. About 100 people reportedly split off from the larger group and marched up the hill to the city’s west side and on to Capital Mall, Lt. Paul Lower said.
As they marched, the group got smaller, Lower said. Those numbers reportedly fell to about 80 people.
Some ultimately marched through Capital Mall — the west-side mall closes at 8 p.m. — then exited the mall and marched over and through a nearby Target, Lower said.
Some damage was reported there about 7:10 p.m.
A fire extinguisher was activated, a mannequin was knocked over and a Starbucks display was knocked over at the Target, Lower said. The protesters then exited the store and marched back through the city, occasionally blocking traffic, and returned to the Heritage Park Fountain downtown, he said.
There were no arrests and no reports of injuries, Lower said.
Police reported back to the station about 9 p.m., he said.
Editor’s note: This article has been updated with additional information from the Olympia Police Department.
This story was originally published January 27, 2026 at 5:30 AM.
