Dozens of Louisville Metro Police officers gathered downtown Louisville Saturday morning as people on both sides of the immigration debate held dueling protests. LMPD closed several downtown streets and put up barricades between the two groups in preparation for the crowds.
Nearly 200 supporters of Occupy ICE gathered in protest Saturday. The group has been camped out in front of the local Immigration and Customs Enforcement building at 7th and Broadway since early this week, calling for the agency to be abolished. Occupy ICE is opposed to the Trump administration’s zero tolerance immigration policy along the southern border.
About 75 people with the group known as the Three Percenters showed up for a counter-protest. The group says its name refers to the percentage of colonists who fought against Great Britain for independence.
Members of the group held American flags and chanted phrases in support of police and President Trump's immigration policies.
“Build the Wall, deport them all,” they chant.
— jacob ryan (@jacobhryan) July 7, 2018
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Check out a slideshow below of Saturday's protests. Photographs by Michelle Hanks.
Earlier Saturday morning:
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This story has been updated.