For the children

Aimée Sitarz created a "bronzed" baby shoe installation to remember children separated from their parents and incarcerated by the federal government. The shoes are pierced by plastic restraints like those used by ICE Agents. The shoes hang across the front of the OccupyICEPDX encampment, next to the barricades and police cars.

Federal agents today violently assaulted and arrested three small-bodied non-binary protesters after "shoulder checking" them. That's when an agent leans forward and strikes a protester with his shoulder and then insists the protester struck him. Then several agents working together slam the protester against the pavement and apply handcuffs. There are videos. 

I try to get to the camp for a while every day, and at present I just can't make time for anything but this work and some sweet moments with loved ones. I very much appreciate this community, and I'm aware of the stars, hearts, and good wishes. I look forward to having a little personal time at some point and turning comments back on.

Someone wrote on a Facebook page, "I don't know how much more citizens will take before they fight back against this regime and end it." I responded, "Lots of us ARE fighting back with everything we have in us." We are. And yet immigrants are being tortured. The children of people seeking refuge are still incarcerated, frightened, unsure if they will ever see their parents again. Incalculable suffering continues, and the evil grows and swells and pumps itself up with hate. This is a nightmare come true.