Second vigil in Brookings

An estimated 300 people of all ages joined a second candlelight vigil on Monday, organized by Brookings Area Indivisible (BAI)—this time to mourn the death of Alex Pretti at the hands of immigration agents in Minneapolis last Saturday.

The group gathered on the steps and spilled onto the sidewalk in front of the Brookings Post Office Monday evening to remember Alex Pretti, Renee Macklin Good and all the others who have died or been victims of mistreatment by federal officers.

Audra Fullerton led the crowd in singing several rounds of “Gentle Angry People” and "Hold On”.

Several people held homemade signs expressing concern, sorrow, and sometimes outrage about what’s happening here in South Dakota, in neighboring Minnesota and across the county.

Cottonwood Coffee opened its doors to participants who were inclined to write letters to Senator Thune asking him to “Find your RED line and act to stop this madness.”

BAI collected over 270 letters to deliver to the senator’s Sioux Falls office this week.