By Steve Klamkin WPRO News
Six days after an immigration protest turned violent when a guard’s truck ran into a row of demonstrators and guards fired tear gas, the Mayor of Providence Tuesday joined protesters calling for the closure of the Wyatt detention center and for the state to ban private prisons.
“I am here to show my support for shutting down Wyatt and banning the operation of private, for-profit prisons in Rhode Island,” said Mayor Jorge Elorza at a rally outside the State House, to the applause of about 80 supporters, some who took part in last Wednesday night’s protest at the Central Falls prison.
The rally was organized by the group “Never Again Action”, which also organized the protest August 14 at the prison.
“I dropped to the ground, covering my face, before I ran from the uniformed men. I was terrified,” said Ruby Goldstein 15. She and her 17-year old brother Sam recounted the end of what had been a peaceful protest by several hundred people, when a man in a guard’s uniform ran into the row of protesters, injuring several people.
“We denounce and call for an investigation into the actions of the employees of this for-profit facility,” said Rabbi Sarah Mack, President of the Board of Rabbis of Greater Rhode Island.
“The Wyatt detention center is a creature of state statute,” said former Providence State Representative Aaron Regunberg. “It exists as a legal entity through state law, and we believe that means that it is possible through legislation to shut it down, to end this contract with ICE and this complicity in Donald Trump’s deportation machine.”
Mayor Elorza recalled his own upbringing in Providence by a family from Guatemala, many of whom were undocumented.
“I never was able to register for Little League baseball, for activities after school, because my family was always afraid of giving out our info, not knowing where it could be used,” said the two-term Democratic mayor of the state’s largest city. He is the highest profile political leader to call for closing the Wyatt jail.
