Protests erupt in Milan against ICE presence at Winter Olympics
Hundreds of demonstrators gathered in Milan’s Piazza Leonardo da Vinci on Friday to voice their opposition to ICE agents attending the Winter Olympics, reports BritPanorama.
The protesters, predominantly students, brandished placards bearing the slogan “ICE out” as they assembled just hours ahead of the Games’ opening ceremony.
This demonstration follows similar action last Saturday in Piazza XXV Aprile, a location commemorating Italy’s 1945 liberation from Nazi fascism. The upcoming evening’s festivities at San Siro Stadium will feature US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, alongside performances by Mariah Carey and Andrea Bocelli.
Concerns extend beyond the presence of American immigration enforcement, with protesters also criticizing city closures for what they see as an unsustainable event amidst ongoing housing affordability problems and diminishing community spaces. British-American freestyle skier Gus Kenworthy, competing for Team GB at these Games, has been outspoken regarding the immigration enforcement agency. He shared “F*** ICE” on his Instagram account, urging followers to contact senators about what he described as ICE’s “unchecked power” since Donald Trump’s return to office.
Kenworthy stated in a recent interview, “I’ve been waiting to say this in any interview but just f*** ICE so hard right now. F*** ICE.”
Team GB is reportedly unconcerned by Kenworthy’s remarks, viewing them as personal opinions on matters unrelated to the Olympic Games and not involving the British team. The Essex-born athlete, who switched allegiance from the United States in 2019, is not set to compete until February 19.
Milan’s mayor Giuseppe Sala has declared that ICE agents are not welcome in the city. Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi clarified in parliament that only personnel from ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations division would be present in Milan, emphasizing that American personnel will not be performing policing duties on Italian streets.
The US State Department confirmed that multiple federal agencies, including ICE, would assist in protecting American visitors to the Games. Nicole Deal, the US Olympic security officer, has assured that no ICE agents form part of the Team USA Olympic delegation.
Piantedosi stated, “The presence of personnel linked to the ICE agency is not a sudden or unilateral attempt to restrict our national sovereignty. It is the implementation of a binding international agreement, fully compliant with our constitution and parliamentary prerogatives.”
The International Olympic Committee expressed last week that it was “distracting and sad” that political issues overshadowed preparations for the Winter Olympics. In light of heightened scrutiny over ICE due to recent incidents, including the deaths of Renée Nicole Good and Alex Pretti during protests in January, the atmosphere is increasingly charged as the Games unfold.
It seems the Olympics, while a platform for sport, have again become a stage for broader societal debates, highlighting how sporting events can intertwine with pressing political issues.
