Rescheduled: Origami Action on President’s Day, Mon. Feb 16
We want to thank everyone who has participated in this action. Your creative talents and enthusiasm for the project have been inspiring! Because of your efforts, we have created over 600 origami cranes!
We have been approached by the Bearing Witness group, who organizes rallies at the Burlington Ice Detention Center, to complete our action on a Wednesday with them. While I had wanted to complete this action as scheduled, it is to appealing to go with the Bearing Witness group. Each week they have close to 1,000 protesters at the facility. This would be a great chance for us to share our action with more people, and thus increase its impact.
When I first looked into doing this action, it was the end of October. The only people protesting at the Burlington Ice Detention Center were on Wednesdays, and they had 60 to 70 protesters per week. It seemed pretty laid back to me, a perfect setting for our origami cranes . I had visions of garlands of cranes hanging from trees . Now things have changed.
Each Wednesday, Bearing Witness hosts almost a thousand protesters each Wednesday. In addition, there are groups at the center nearly every day holding protests of their own. And in addition to that, counter protesters, Pro Trump/Maga, have showed up as well. This has led to physical confrontations this past Saturday. There are some strong concerns that they will be showing up on this Monday, and we want to avoid such confrontations as much as possible.
Our plan is to reschedule with Bearing Witness, and have a procession of cranes, a short parade of sorts, to deliver our cranes to a tree outside the detention center.
From what I am told, the Burlington Police have not been supportive of the protesters. To make matters worse, the ICE Detention Center is on the property of an office park, which is privately owned. It is now patrolled by a security force. In addition, the protesters are not allowed to place anything of substance on the grounds. For instance, a local priest, from St Peter's San Pedro here in Salem, Father Nathan, was working with an interfaith colleague fo bring a sukka, a piece used in Hebrew ceremonies, to the site when they were told it was not allowed. This would have been used not only to support the spiritual needs of people inside, but the protesters as well, yet it was not allowed. I've been advised that if we left our birds there, they would immediately be removed and we would probably be fined for littering.
Still the journey of our cranes must continue, despite these obstacles. We have started creation of displays of cranes to bring to the center, some in garlands, some in circle mobiles to be carried. There's an example of one above with origami butterflies - imagine it with cranes! If you are so inclined, consider helping with this endeavor. We plan on carrying in them in procession, and displaying them under the largest tree, which is closest to the detention center. Then, they will return home with us. We plan on displaying them, and telling their tale, at the next No Kings rally, on March 28, where we will be giving out new origami cranes to our crowds. We think this is the best way to continue their message and their journey. They have quite a tale to tell, from the initial action which drew us together, to their flight home into our communities. If you would like them to visit a community or faith based location near you, please let us know. It is in that way that their song and story will go on.
I ask you for patience as we enter this new phase of our action.We created this purposeful action together, to deliver a message of peace, hope and compassion. That has not changed. Whether the cranes remain on the trees at the detention center, or come home with us to be displayed in our community, their purpose remains true in these times of atrocities, and lack of due process and human rights, when voices are not heard.We will schedule with Bearing Witness on a Wednesday, and hope that those of you who wanted to join us still can. We will have our procession of cranes and gather together at the detention center to state our purpose, and complete our goal. We need peace now more now than ever, as well as hope for a better future, and compassion for one another.
I hope you can continue to join us as the cranes continue their journey.