DOWNTOWN – Hundreds flooded Downtown streets Friday as part of a planned nationwide general strike condemning federal immigration crackdowns in Minneapolis, where federal agents killed two U.S. citizens this month.
The “ICE Out!” general strike and protest, led by organizers in Minnesota and supported by small businesses and others in Chicago, called on Americans to opt out of all economic activity Friday to take collective action against the federal government. A Minnesota general strike had been organized Jan. 23, sending upwards of 100,000 people into the streets of Minneapolis about two weeks after the Jan. 7 killing of Renee Good by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent Jonathan Ross.
Veterans Administration nurse Alex Pretti was shot and killed by federal agents the next morning, reverberating through the country and escalating tensions between Minnesotans and federal agents. The nationwide general strike was planned and organized over the last week to mirror last Friday’s strike on a larger scale.
“Money is the only language that’s understood in America,” said protester Aidan Flynn, who called out of his job at a Wrigleyville bar to participate in Friday’s general strike. “It shows at least some sense of solidarity that people are willing to be out here in the f––g cold a– dog-s-–t weather.”
Hundreds protest in the frigid temperatures at Daley Plaza on Jan. 30, 2026 as part of a nationwide series of protests in response to federal immigration actions in Minneapolis. Credit: Colin Boyle/Block Club Chicago
“They’re just, like, gunning down people in the streets and then making fun of them and threatening other people by saying ‘Oh, we’ll do this to you, too.’ It’s insane,” he added.
Some of the “threatening” rhetoric has come from Border Patrol Cmdr. Gregory Bovino, who patrolled the streets of Chicago before pivoting to Minneapolis.
“Arrest as many people as you want to,” Bovino said to a group of uniformed agents before a Los Angeles protest in June, according to bodycam footage obtained by the New York Times this week. “Everybody f–king gets it if they touch you.”
Protesters carried signs Friday demanding justice for those killed by federal agents and others that mocked Donald Trump’s administration, including a sign likening the president to Adolf Hitler.
Hundreds protest in the Loop in the snow and frigid temperatures as part of a nationwide series of protests on Jan. 30, 2026, in response to federal immigration actions in Minneapolis. Credit: Colin Boyle/Block Club Chicago
The protest kicked off at 4 p.m. in Daley Plaza, 50 W. Washington St., before snaking north through the Loop to eventually reach Wacker Drive across from Trump Tower, 401 N. Wabash Ave., where protesters chanted “F–k Trump” and “Chinga La Migra,” which roughly translates to “F–k ICE.” The march ended back at Daley Plaza around 7 p.m. as remaining protesters were blanketed with snow.
Demonstrators carried a large banner reading “Defend democracy: It’s time for a general strike” as they marched through downtown.
Popular Chicago-based influencer and rapper Zekur Stewart, better known by his stage name “Forever Band,” joined the crowd.
Zekur Stewart, aka “Forever Band,” joins as hundreds protest in frigid temperatures at Daley Plaza as part of protests nationwide on Jan. 30, 2026, in response to federal immigration actions in Minneapolis. Credit: Colin Boyle/Block Club Chicago
“Money talks. Once we stop spending our money and show that we are tired of this, they’re gonna have to listen,” Stewart said. “I just want to show people that don’t think that they have folks who stand up for them that I will use my platform to stand up for you guys. I’ll help in any way I can. And even if it’s just a post, hopefully that goes a long way.”
Stewart has gained notoriety for his comedic skits and collaborations with fellow viral artist Adamn Killa. The pair have hundreds of thousands of followers on social media and frequently promote progressive issues on their platforms.
“A lot of people are scared of the brand deals or fans they might lose,” he said. “I’m like, f–k that, man. You should be scared of your rights being taken away.”
The Rev. David Black of Chicago’s First Presbyterian Church attended Friday’s protest. A photo of Black getting pepper-sprayed at close range by an immigration agent went viral a following a September protest outside of the immigratuion processing facility in Broadview, 1930 Beach St. in the suburb.
“It’s horrifying to think of all the people who have died in detention, whose names and stories are not being uplifted in the way that Renee and Alex’s stories have been,” Black said.
“It’s horrible what happened to [Good and Pretti], and I also want to see more attention paid to the Black and Brown people who are being tortured. This is not how we treat our neighbors and people who live in our communities, people who work hard to build up our communities and contribute to our society.”
Hundreds protest in the Loop in the snow and frigid temperatures as part of a nationwide series of protests on Jan. 30, 2026, in response to federal immigration actions in Minneapolis. Credit: Colin Boyle/Block Club Chicago
Black was one of many speakers and performers representing the activist-artist community from across Chicago. Juan Raya, a musician and immigrant rights organizer, sang a traditional Mexican ballad in Spanish as protesters filtered into Daley Plaza.
Raya ended his performance with a speech drawing from his background as a Mexican-American immigrant.
“I crossed the [Rio Grande] river twice when I was 16 years old,” Raya said. “I didn’t give a f–k! I came here for one reason: to go to work and go to school. Now I’m an American citizen. Thank God. I thank this country. I’ve got a lot of beautiful things: three kids, five grandkids, and all of them are from Chicago.”
“People ask me where I’m from, and I say Chicago! [Agents] grabbed me once, twice, twenty times! And I’m here motherf–ker!”
See more photos from Friday night’s protest:
Hundreds protest in the Loop in the snow and frigid temperatures as part of a nationwide series of protests on Jan. 30, 2026, in response to federal immigration actions in Minneapolis. Credit: Colin Boyle/Block Club Chicago
Hundreds protest in frigid temperatures at Daley Plaza as part of nationwide protests on Jan. 30, 2026, in response to federal immigration raids in Minneapolis. Credit: Colin Boyle/Block Club Chicago
People carrying a large banner whisk snow off of it as hundreds protest in the Loop in the snow and frigid cold as part of nationwide protets on Jan. 30, 2026, in response to federal immigration actions in Minneapolis. Credit: Colin Boyle/Block Club Chicago
Hundreds protest in the Loop in the snow and frigid temperatures as part of a nationwide series of protests on Jan. 30, 2026, in response to federal immigration actions in Minneapolis. Credit: Colin Boyle/Block Club Chicago
Hundreds protest in frigid temperatures at Daley Plaza as part of nationwide protests on Jan. 30, 2026, in response to federal immigration actions in Minneapolis. Credit: Colin Boyle/Block Club Chicago
Hundreds protest in the Loop in the snow and frigid temperatures as part of a nationwide series of protests on Jan. 30, 2026, in response to federal immigration actions in Minneapolis. Credit: Colin Boyle/Block Club Chicago
Hundreds protest in the Loop in the snow and frigid temperatures as part of a nationwide series of protests on Jan. 30, 2026, in response to federal immigration actions in Minneapolis. Credit: Colin Boyle/Block Club Chicago
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