‘ICE Out’ protest, rally planned in Sacramento area 1 week after SUV hit observer
Demonstrators are planning a march and rally in Woodland on Tuesday to protest federal immigration enforcement activity in the region, one week after an observer was apparently struck by an unmarked SUV linked to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent.
Protesters demand criminal charges
The afternoon demonstration is scheduled to begin outside the Yolo County District Attorney’s Office. Organizers are calling for prosecutors to consider hit-and-run and assault charges against the federal agent involved in the Oct. 20 incident involving observer Antonio Moreida.
The district attorney’s office has said it is waiting for a report from Woodland police before determining whether charges are appropriate. Organizers have also urged California Attorney General Rob Bonta to assume responsibility for any prosecution if local authorities do not act within what they consider a reasonable period.
After gathering at the district attorney’s office, protesters plan to march to Heritage Plaza for a rally before continuing to the Yolo County Courthouse. The event is being promoted under the banner “ICE Out, Demand Justice” and is supported by several immigrant-rights, community-organizing and political groups in Yolo County and the surrounding area.
Investigation remains ongoing
Multiple videos appear to show Moreida standing in the street while recording an approaching SUV. The vehicle’s front-right corner then appears to make contact with him, sending him to the pavement as the SUV continues away.
Federal immigration officials have disputed that account. They have characterized Moreida as an agitator and claimed he climbed onto the vehicle to create the appearance of a collision for cameras.
Woodland police have not endorsed the federal account. Police Chief Ryan Kinnan has said investigators are reviewing the available footage and working to establish what happened through a thorough and impartial inquiry.
The incident has drawn criticism from immigrant-rights advocates, local officials and members of Congress. Representative Mike Thompson, whose district includes Woodland and Yolo County, has said that anyone found to have acted unlawfully or improperly should be held accountable.
Concerns over wider enforcement operation
The planned protest comes amid an expanded federal immigration operation in Northern California. Activists and elected officials say agents have been observed in several communities across the Sacramento region, including the Natomas area of Sacramento.
Residents have reported seeing unmarked vehicles, often with darkened windows and limited identifying information, near local businesses and public areas. Community groups say the increased presence has caused fear among immigrant families and disrupted workplaces.
Officials and advocacy organizations are also monitoring reports of federal agents appearing near locations used for civic activities, including a veterans’ hall parking lot in Yuba City that serves as a polling location.
Supporters of the Woodland march say the demonstration is intended to oppose what they describe as aggressive enforcement tactics while pressing authorities to provide transparency and accountability in the vehicle incident.
