Fifty Licks Scooped Free Ice Cream for Occupy ICE Protesters Yesterday

As our country continues to detain immigrant children and separate undocumented and asylum-seeking families at the border, rage is building among the Portland restaurant community. Pok Pok’s Andy Ricker has just been tweeting “fuck you” at various defenders of the stance, including talking head Corey R. Lewandowski, President Donald Trump, and Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen, who was heckled out of a Mexican restaurant last night.

But ice cream shop Fifty Licks went even further, delivering free ice cream to protesters yesterday. In case you missed it, a group of locals has planted themselves at a nondescript building on Macadam, protesting ICE, also known as Immigration and Customs Enforcement — the people rounding up and detaining undocumented residents. Occupy ICE PDX has publicly dedicated themselves to stay at the Southwest Portland ICE office “until the zero tolerance policy is lifted.” According to the Oregonian, Fifty Licks ice cream owner Chad Draizin brought his truck out in support, blocking the driveway and serving free cones to the dozens of protesters at the building. The sign, denoting flavors like french toast and Thai rice, also read, “No fasci$ts.” Protesters began to chant, “Ice cream good, ICE bad.”

Meanwhile, Portland’s Mexican-food-hawking instigator Nick Zukin (Mi Mero Mole) had a more measured take, which he shared on social media. “I wish the #OccupyICEPDX folks were less radical in their protest, not doxing ICE agents, calling them Nazis, etc,” he tweeted. “I’d close down on Monday and let my whole staff join the protest if the goal was more restrained, like ending the policy on separating children.” The response was less than supportive, challenging the chef and asking him what he’s done for immigrant rights. “Yeah buddy I think the room is gonna disbelieve you on this one,” one user commented.

• The past 72 hours in outrage over Trump’s immigrant family separation policy, explained [Vox]
• The Trump administration’s separation of families at the border, explained [Vox]
• Andy Ricker [Twitter]
• Homeland security chief heckled at Mexican eatery over separation policy [MSNBC]
• All Fifty Licks coverage [EPDX]
• Fifty Licks ice cream truck offers free cones to Portland ICE protesters [The O]
• “Abolish ICE,” Explained [Vox]
• Occupy ICE PDX [Facebook]
• Nick Zukin [Twitter]