LaRoeBoat

Photo: Doug and Mandy and John, seen earlier in the day at the Ambassador Building demonstration up north, were here, too. Committed to having their voices heard. Doug was showing the other side of his sign, with hand-drawn caricatures of a KKKlansman next to the text "1925" and a masked ICE employee next to the text "2025-26" and underneath both: "THINGS HAVEN'T CHANGED." Mandy, in the middle, carries a hand-lettered sign reading, "This Sign Fights Fascists," with a drawing of a guitar, to evoke Woody Guthrie's guitar, which had a similar message on it. John, again in his chair on wheels, but this time on more solid ground, still carries his sign that reads, "Skin Color is NOT a Fucking Warrant." Mandy and John each have one hand raised and are waving at passing traffic. Doug was waving just a second ago, but he has both of his mittened hands on his sign now, because … wind.

Photo: Respect MO Voters volunteer Julius, in a navy blue parka with the hood up and mittens, is on here just as Amy was up north, to solicit signatures for that organization's petition to block the efforts of Missouri's state GOP/MAGA electeds to DISrespect MO Voters. The Respect MO Voters' website describes that initiative as a "volunteer-led campaign to pass a ballot initiative for a state constitutional amendment that will BAN politicians from: Overturning initiatives that voters have already passed. Attacking citizens' ability to use the initiative process. Deceiving voters with confusing ballot language.

Photo: A quartet of friends pose with their signs: Molly carries a hand-made sign reading "Love Thy Neighbor" that is decorated with hearts and a U.S. flag. She has attached two more, smaller U.S. flags over the hood of her heavy sweat shirt (worn under a long down vest and over a heavy knit cap). Debbie wears a parka with a fur-ish lined hood and carries a hand-made sign that is decorated with a drawing of an eye and reads "Believe Your EYES, not their LIES." Leann wears a fleece hooded jacket and carries a sign reading "ICE Out Of MO." Casey wears an anorak and carries a sign reading, "NOEM NEEDS TO RESIGN NOW."

Photo: Two members of the KC Handmaid Army stand solemnly on the corner of 10th and Oak, wearing their Handmaid uniforms. Immediately behind them, one or two other protesters (can't quite tell) lift two signs, both hand-inked on repurposed cardboard, with linked messages. One reads, "First they came for the immigrants, and I spoke up because I know the rest of the GODDAMN poem." The second one reads, "HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF. WE WON'T IGNORE THE PATTERNS."

A few of the Usual Suspects, but mostly new faces …
#ICEout Protest
Charles E. Whittaker U.S. Courthouse
#KansasCity, #Missouri
30 January 2026

Photo: Sen. Hawley – famous for pumping his fist in support of the January 6th insurrectionists then literally running away from them as they broke into the Capitol, also for proudly declaring himself to be a "Christian Nationalist" – has his Kansas City office in the Charles E. Whittaker U.S. Courthouse, in downtown on 9th Street. But 9th Street, in front of the courthouse, is closed for construction. So the demonstrators, seen here, lined 8th Street, on the north side of the courthouse, instead: more than 160 of them, lining the street from Oak to Locust streets.

There were, in all, about a half dozen protests throughout the city on this day. I made it to two, the second one being downtown, where U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (MO R(MAGA) has his Kansas City office.
#ICEout Protest
Charles E. Whittaker U.S. Courthouse
#KansasCity, #Missouri
30 January 2026

This is pretty much the theory being tested at @washingtonpost.com right now. But, we need a control medium if we're going to draw serious conclusions. How about the @nytimes.com ? Oh. Well. Crap.

C'mon. They'll barely outnumber local actual law enforcement by four-to-one.

What an atrocious, disgusting act by Bezos, Will Lewis and Matt Murray. Crushed for all my friends and colleagues wrongly laid off today, sad for all Post readers who lose so much quality journalism.

Just a reminder: the guy with the black tee with "6MWE:" that's an acronym for 6 million wasn't enough.

YouTube video by RATMVEVO Rage Against The Machine - Killing In the Name (Official HD Video)

Musical Interlude: Rage Against the Machine: "Killing In The Name"

Photo: A protester stands on a sidewalk, in a parka and baseball cap and sunglasses with the hood up on the parka. His sign reads, "RAGE AGAINST THE REGIME." This is Andrew, who, besides bringing an excellent sign to the protest that evokes the name of the band led by the host of XM radio's "One Man Revolution" show, gave me handwarmers, which is probably why I still have fingers. Another protester has walked by behind him carrying a U.S. flag that lingers, at full wind-blown extension behind him. Beyond the flag, in the street behind him, a park-and-ride bus associated with the nearby Kansas City International airport travels in the opposite direction, with automobile and airplane iconography and the company name ("Park'n Go") and the url for its website on its side. An excerpt from my interview with Andrew: Me: "Fuck You. I won't do what you told me!" Andrew (laughing): "We were listening to that (Rage Against the Machine's 'Killing In The Name') in the car on the way here." Thank you, Andrew. You and your hand warmers were much appreciated.

One of the things that gets demonstrated at demonstrations, other than protestations, is genuine humanity. Just sayin'
#ICEout Protest
The Ambassador Building
#KansasCity, #Missouri
30 January 2026

Photo: A sign planted in the snow along the driveway to The Ambassador Building at KCI, which houses the offices of U. S. Representative Sam Grave (MO 6th District–R (MAGA)) and U. S. Senator Eric Schmitt (MO–R(MAGA)). The sign reads, in full, "NO TRESPASSING," but what exactly "trespassing" might look like in this context is unknown. According to the website of Realty Company of America, other "major tenants [of the building] include National Beef Packing Company, International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Purina, Land O Lakes, WGU University, and the Transportation Security Administration." Presumably, persons having business to conduct with Purina, Land O Lakes, or WGU University, etc. would not be "trespassing." Might not a citizen constituent of an elected representative have business to conduct with that representative? One might wonder.

Photo: A sign planted in the snow along the driveway to The Ambassador Building at KCI, which houses the offices of U. S. Representative Sam Grave (MO 6th District–R (MAGA)) and U. S. Senator Eric Schmitt (MO–R(MAGA)). It reads, in full, "POSTED | PRIVATE PROPERTY | HUNTING, FISHING, TRAPPING OR TRESPASSING FOR ANY PURPOSE IS STRICTLY FORBIDDEN | VIOLATORS WILL BE PROSECUTED," because they probably have a lot of problems with people hunting lions and tigers and bears and trout fishing and fur trapping in the front yard of their office building. Or maybe when whoever found out a protest was scheduled, they sent whatever employee to one or more of the nearest farm supply stores nearby (there are two in the immediate vicinity, and a third less than eight miles away), could only find the one proper "no trespassing" sign, but they felt like they really needed one on both sides of the driveway; and this was what they wound up with. Be that as it may, the pedestrian walking towards the sign, from the building's parking lot, does not appear to be carrying a hunting rifle, fishing tackle, or traps. They do appear to be carrying a sign. It is yellow and it reads, "Congress | Pay Attention."

Speaking of respecting #MissouriVoters: Sen. Schmitt's website says, "Hearing the viewpoints ... of fellow Missourians is vital to me and my office." But these were the signs posted by the driveway when his constituents showed up.
The Ambassador Building
#KansasCity, #Missouri
30 January 2026

Respect MO Voters

A the-more-you-know PSA:

Respect MO Voters was on hand to collect signatures for their petition to block the efforts of Missouri's state GOP/MAGA electeds to DISrespect MO Voters.
#ICEout Protest
The Ambassador Building at KCI
#KansasCity, #Missouri
30 January 2026

Photo: Elizabeth holds a sign that reads, "Free Speech ≠ (is not equal to) Death Sentence." She wears a grey knit cap, orange work gloves, and a coyote work jacket.

Photo: John holds a sign that reads, "Skin Color is NOT a Fucking Warrant." He sits in a chair that is mounted on wheels. He wears glasses and a Mackinac style red & black plaid parka. The wheels on that chair were not built to roll on frozen turf and snow, where he now sits. That's not keeping him from being where he believes he needs to be.

Photo: Doug holds a sign that reads, on its back side (our side), "Longer Tables | Not Higher Walls, " hand written in black ink on safety yellow paper and taped to poster board. He wears a heavy navy blue jacket over a maroon hoodie, with the hood up … and mittens.

Photo: Riley holds a hand-lettered, torso-sized sign with the names of eight (8) people that were known as of 30 January 2026 to have been been shot and killed by DHS or to have died in DHS custody up to that point in 2026, to include: Renee Good Alex Pretti Heber Sanchez [Domínguez] Luis Beltran Yanez-Cruz Parady La Victor Manuel Diaz Geraldo Lunas Campos Luis Gustavo Nunez Caceres (Worth Noting: A ninth victim, Keith Porter, Jr., not included on Riley's sign, was killed by an off-duty ICE "agent" on New Years Eve, which is to say, not in January, not in 2026, in Los Angeles, by the way.) Riley wears a pale grey knit cap under a hood, sunglasses and black gloves.

You can find a lot to think about at an anti-fascist protest in the midwest. For instance …
#ICEout Protest
The Ambassador Building
#KansasCity, #Missouri
30 January 2026

Home Missouri needs you. Join the movement.

An Aside: Blue Missouri knows "you miss 100% of the shots you don't take." They promote and pursue an aggressive strategy to get qualified progressive Democrats on every state ballot across Missouri. More here:

Photo: Jess Piper, Executive Director for Blue Missouri, was one of more than 200 protesters to show up at the Northlands site of the offices of U. S. Representative Sam Grave (MO 6th District–R (MAGA)) and U. S. Senator Eric Schmitt (MO–R(MAGA)). She wears her trademark smile, a camel-colored overcoat and knit cap. She holds a hand-lettered sign that reads, "They Are Coming For You, too! Abolish ICE!"

@piperformissouri.bsky.social , of Blue Missouri, was in attendance. She is often a guest speaker at midwestern progressive events, but this was one of those many occasions where she just showed up to do the work.
#ICEout Protest
The Ambassador Building
#KansasCity, #Missouri
30 January 2026

Photo: Two protesters stand on a sidewalk outside the office building at 12200 N. Ambassador Drive that houses the offices of U. S. Representative Sam Grave (MO 6th District–R(MAGA)) and U. S. Senator Eric Schmitt (MO–R(MAGA)). One wears a red parka the other a dark overcoat. Both wear Kansas Chiefs red knit caps. The one on the right holds a sign that reads, "ABOLISH ICE" in handwritten text. The office building of the famously constituent-averse congressmen is visible on the snow covered hill behind them. The sky is grey and the caps are justified.

Two protesters wanted to clarify that they "didn't want to wear Chief's gear, with all the [shrugs in Chiefs controversies], but it's warm." Temperatures were in the teens, with wind chills well below that.
#ICEout Protest
The Ambassador Building
#KansasCity, #Missouri
30 January 2026

Photo: The backs of about seven people's heads as they stand on the sidewalk facing the street. They are bundled up pretty good and the ones who have hoods on their jackets have those hoods up. Several of them are holding signs. Two of these signs have readable backsides as well as fronts. Those two signs read: "$top ICE" & "NO KINGS." On the curb immediately in front of them (behind them from our perspective), there is a big ole steel light pole. On the street in front of them, a grey police SUV drives by.

A view of the …
#ICEout Protest
The Ambassador Building at KCI
#KansasCity, #Missouri
30 January 2026
… from the other side.

Photo: About 200 people at this point line the sidewalk from the driveway to The Ambassador Building at KCI (which houses the offices of U. S. Representative Sam Grave (MO 6th District–R (MAGA)) and U. S. Senator Eric Schmitt (MO–R(MAGA)) south for what would pass for a city block (if this were in a proper city) to the intersection of N Ambassador Drive & NW MidContinent Trafficway. The crowd would soon grow to an estimated 250, chanting, "He doesn't give a schmitt about you!"

Countless people gathered for #ICEout protests throughout the city and the day, including at the offices of the MAGA/GOP federal congress people in the late morning and early afternoon.

Multiple Locations in #KansasCity
30 January 2026
#LocalResistance #AbolishICE

Maybe she won an essay contest on the theme My Favorite President.

Glad you're safe. Also your instruments. (Also note the correct usage of you're and your. That doesn't happen by accident ... with me.)
Glad you're safe.

Whew. Then, I guess, if it would violate the Constitution, *that's* one less thing to worry about. Plus, he's probably too busy still unwrapping his Emoluments from 2017 to do anything to endanger the republic now.

Wow!
It seems the longer Trump has access to a telephone, the more people entered the United States during the Biden Administration. We don't need a higher wall or better border security. We need to take his phone away before we're over-run in hindsight!

Seems likely.

Verified: heart-breaking, terrifying, absolutely necessary ... and your point about Leopold's motivation is spot on.

Photo: David waves a substantial red, white and black flag, which flutters in the breeze, causing motion blue as the wind makes it vibrate. The red and white are in fairly broad vertical stripes.The black is in letters on a white field across the flag's center: "ABOLISH ICE" The flag is mostly backgrounded and backlit by twilight sky. On the photo's right, the tail lights of a red pick up truck are pulling away up Linwood Boulevard.

A new (to your reporter) flag.
#AlexPrettiVigil #KCVAMC
#KanasCity, #Missouri
1 February 2026
#LocalResistance #AbolishICE

Poverty is a policy choice. Concentrated wealth is a policy choice. Inequality is a policy choice. None of it is natural or inevitable. Remember: We have the power to build a system that serves the many, not the powerful few.

Photo: Gary, a former active duty Marine, in a forest green hoodie and black Corps ball cap, holds a hand-made, torso-sized sign that reads, in multi colored lettering, "Renee Good | Say Her Name."

Photo: Tara holds a hand-made sign with a depiction of an Aladinesque lamp and red letters that read, "The Nursing Lamp of Life Shines for Renee & Alex." In the background, at the top of a hill, the mostly brick, 11 (or more) storied KCVA-MC catches the fading glow of the setting sun.

A couple of new (to your reporter) signs.
#AlexPrettiVigil #KCVAMC
#KanasCity, #Missouri
1 February 2026
#LocalResistance #AbolishICE

Photo: Six members of the KC Handmaid Army, in their red regalia, stand with a speaker before the rest of the vigil attendees. Four of them hold sign reading (l-r): "Trans Right are Human Rights" "Hey! News Flash! Trump and GOP | No Due Process Deportation Is Human Trafficking" "SHAME" and "Fight For Good" with an illustration of something similar to an old Slurpee[™] cup, except it's labelled "FUCK ICE."

The KC Handmaid Army was out in force at the …
#AlexPrettiVigil #KCVAMC
#KanasCity, #Missouri
1 February 2026
#LocalResistance #AbolishICE

Photo: Thomas, in overalls, leans across the Respect MO Voters' table to offer a pen to a new recruit, in a white puff jacket and jeans, while John, in a yellow jacket, waits to pick up his clipboard and petition to start soliciting signatures. Respect MO Voters describes itself as "volunteer-led campaign to pass a ballot initiative for a state constitutional amendment that will BAN politicians from: Overturning initiatives that voters have already passed. Attacking citizens' ability to use the initiative process. Deceiving voters with confusing ballot language." You can find more information about this campaign here: https://respectmovoters.org/

Just to the west of the main gathering, Thomas and John, of Respect MO Voters, and a new recruit to the cause prepare to solicit signatures in support of a citizens' initiative to protect the citizens' initiative process.
#AlexPrettiVigil #KCVAMC
#KanasCity, #Missouri
1 February 2026

Photo: People, probably fewer than 100 at this point, have begun assembling along the sidewalk on the south side of Linwood Boulevard, at the foot of the hill below the Kansas City Veterans Administration Medical Center (KCVA-MC). There would be more than a hundred by the time your reporter crossed the street to get close-ups. There's a flag at the left and a little further to the right the first four of the Kansas City Handmaid's Army have gathered, in their red regalia. On top of the hill behind them the mostly brick, 11 (or more) storied KCVA-MC and its auxiliary structures (an in-patient substance-abuse facility on the left and a large parking lot with solar-panel roofing on the right) are catching the fading glow of the setting sun.

1 February 2026: More than a hundred people attended this twilight vigil for Alex Pretti and Renee Good at the Kansas City Veterans Administration Medical Center.
#LocalResistance #AbolishICE

"It became necessary to destroy the village in order to save it."
– an un-named U.S. Major during the Vietnam War.