Fmr. State Rep. arrested at Central Falls ICE protest, speaks out

Among those arrested was former State Representative and lieutenant governor candidate Aaron Regunberg. He’s now currently a Senior Advisor to to Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza. 

Regunberg said as a Jewish man, he can’t stand by and watch parallels to the Holocaust unfold at ICE detention centers.

“Concentration camps are being operated under our name, under our flag,” said Regunberg.

He said his stance is personal because his grandfather is a Holocaust survivor. 

“When I was little, I felt a lot of anger about what my grandpa experienced. Sometimes I was angry at Hitler. Sometimes I was angry at faceless Nazis,” explained Regunberg. “But more often than not, what really made me sick to my stomach was to think about the people in my grandpa’s town — my grandpa’s neighbors — who watched the escalating violence happening in their community, and choose to go about their lives, business as usual.

Regunberg and 17 others were arrested Tuesday for civil disobedience. 

Police say they broke the law by not moving out of the roadway for oncoming traffic. 

“They chose not to move after they were given several orders to do so, and we were forced to place them under arrest,” said Major Craig Horton with the Central Falls Police. 

Horton said peaceful protests are always welcome, but that the safety of the public and protesters is a priority. 

Despite the arrest, Regunberg said his fight is far from over. 

“I think everyone from yesterday is committed to continue to put our bodies on the line,” said Regunberg.