At least a dozen restaurants and coffee shops across metro Denver will close for service on Friday, Jan. 30, joining businesses in a nationwide general strike decrying the tactics of immigration and border agents in Minneapolis this month.
The participating businesses have cited violent and aggressive behavior by federal immigration agents, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers in Minnesota, in ongoing operations to arrest and deport undocumented immigrants they say have previously committed crimes. Hundreds of businesses in Minnesota closed last Friday, one day before Alex Pretti, a Minneapolis resident, was shot and killed by border patrol agents in a confrontation.
“The entire point is to grind the economy to a halt,” said Ni Nguyen, chef and co-owner of Sap Sua, an acclaimed Vietnamese restaurant at 2550 E. Colfax Ave..
He and his wife, co-owner Anna Nguyen, felt encouraged by how Minnesota’s strike and protests turned public and political opinion on ICE’s tactics, and they believe this is a way they can help. “This is one thing we feel we can actually do that might make a difference,” said co-owner Anna Nguyen.
They cancelled 110 reservations set for Friday and said they would personally pay their staff the amount of tips they would’ve made that night.
Denver metro businesses participating in the Jan. 30 general strike/ICE Out protests
- Bánh & Butter Bakery (Aurora)
- Die Die Must Try Beverage Co.
- Good Bones Coffee
- Harbinger Coffee (Fort Collins)
- Hooked on Colfax
- Hudson Hill
- Jade Cafe
- Sap Sua
- Mukja Food Truck
- Quince Coffee House
- Outside Pizza
- Ruby’s Market
- Trident Booksellers & Cafe (Boulder)
Other businesses are donating a percentage of their profits to local immigrant rights organizations.
Chinese restaurant MAKfam is advertising 30% of sales would go to the Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network and the Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition. Wine shop Bon Vin is giving 10% of profits raised during a Friday evening wine tasting to Casa de Paz, which supports people in immigration detention facilities and their families, the shop posted on Instagram.
On Thursday, Trump’s border chief, Tom Homan, said the withdrawal of federal agents from Minnesota depended on a decrease in violent interactions between protesters and agents, and whether local and state officials would comply with enforcement operations.
