Latest news with #RiverfrontPark
CBC
23-07-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
Safety concerns halt MAGA musician's Moncton concert
Sean Feucht, a controversial Christian singer who's spoken out against the 2SLGBTQ+ community, will not perform at Moncton's Riverfront Park on Thursday after the City of Moncton revoked his permit, citing safety concerns.
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Spokane Police make more than 30 arrests during two major immigration protests
Jun. 11—Two major immigration protests erupted in Spokane on Wednesday, sparking a massive police response leading to more than 30 protestor arrests. Mayor Lisa Brown issued a 9:30 p.m. curfew for perhaps 1,000 protestors who flooded Riverfront Park and surrounding downtown streets. It's the first such measure since the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests in the wake of George Floyd's murder. The curfew was planned between Boone Avenue to the north to Spokane Falls Boulevard to the south and Howard Street to the west to Division Street. It also included all of Riverfront Park. "We want everybody to be safe and we thought this was the best path forward in order to achieve that," Brown said. "I made the decision that the safest course of action was by Spokane Police, not ICE, to try to safely disperse the crowd." She made the call in response to hundreds of demonstrators who blocked federal immigration enforcement agents in Spokane on Wednesday evening from leaving a downtown immigration office reportedly with refugees who were detained at court hearings earlier in the day. Spokane Police Chief Kevin Hall said that while it appeared that officers deployed tear gas, it was actually smoke grenades. He also said officers used pepper balls but did not fire rubber bullets. He said about 185 city officers responded to both incidents. "Certainly there were peaceful folks demonstrating and utilizing their First Amendment rights, and there were also people in the crowd who were committing crimes," Hall said. The fracas is arguably the most extreme local showing of resistance, among others in Los Angeles and across the country, to President Donald Trump's sweeping immigration crackdowns since he took office for the second time in January. The day of unrest began on Cataldo Avenue after former City Council President Ben Stuckart sent a social media post at about 1 p.m. asking "that if you care at all about these illegal detainers you meet me at 411 West Cataldo by 2 p.m. I am going to set in front of the bus. Feel free to join me .... "The Latino community needs the rest of our community. Not tonight, not Saturday but right now!!!!" Stuckart was responding to the arrest of 21-year-old Cesar Alexander Alvarez Perez, who is seeking asylum from Venezuela, and Joswar Slater Rodriguez Torres, a Colombian national also in his early twenties. Stuckart said he officially became the Venezuelan's legal guardian three weeks ago, and arrived with him and the man from Colombia for a scheduled "check-in" appointment at the Spokane facility this morning. The two were in the United States on work visas and had full-time employment at the Walmart in Airway Heights until Friday, when their "work permits were revoked," he said. Both young men are hard workers who have been diligent about following the legal process and building better lives, Stuckart said. "You can't help spend time with them and not understand just what great young men they are," Stuckart said. "They've done everything right, and they're escaping horrible situations, and then to have them come in for a checkup and be detained illegally is morally reprehensible." For the first few hours, most of the demonstration remained peaceful, aside from a masked person who covered the driver's side of the bus windshield with a layer of white spray paint about a half hour into the demonstration. More than a dozen protestors joined Stuckart despite warnings from a pair of uniformed federal agents who came out of the building to warn the crowd that obstructing their pathway could lead to arrests and charges. Protesters responded by parking their vehicles in front and behind the bus. "I don't want this bus to leave with my friends," Stuckart said. "And I told everybody I was down here, and if people wanted to join me, they could. It's not right. It's not morally right, what's happening." The Cataldo crowd included several prominent politicians, activists and community leaders, including Spokane County Democratic Party Chair Naida Spencer; state Rep. Timm Orsmby; Spokane City Council candidate Sarah Dixit; union advocate and a former Democratic candidate for local, state and federal offices Ted Cummings; Thrive International Director Mark Finney and Latinos en Spokane Director Jennyfer Mesa. While the protestors share a desire to see the young men let go, and frustrations with federal immigration enforcement, they disagreed as to how. Some were a silent presence, others carried signs and chanted, while others were more direct in showing their displeasure by shouting at the law enforcement officers. The disconnect became evident as barriers were formed in front of the gated parking lot using benches, cones and Lime scooters, taken down by others and then reformed in front of the line of Spokane police and Spokane County Sheriff's deputy cars next to the building. Mesa said both of the young men are clients of Latinos en Spokane. But her presence Wednesday was meant as a gesture for her friends, not just her clients. "They're good kids," she said, choking back tears. "They have been volunteering, they're doing the process and everything legally. I just don't understand why they're being detained." Stuckart said the federal employees in the ICE office would not allow him to accompanying Alvarez Perez during his appointment and they did not disclose why either young men were being detained. Stuckart estimated it took around seven minutes from when they went back for their appointment for federal officials to come out and inform him they were being detained. "And each of them has a stack of legal paperwork at least 2 inches thick, with all their asylum paperwork and their guardianship paperwork, and they clearly didn't look at it," Stuckart said. "They just said, 'We're detaining them.'" Stuckart said he started the legal guardianship process earlier this year after a call from Latinos en Spokane for local residents to assist local "vulnerable juveniles." He volunteers with the organization regularly and said he has greatly enjoyed getting to know Alvarez Perez, who's lived in Spokane for six months. Alvarez Perez came to Spokane by way of Miami, after walking through nine countries on his way from Venezuela and meeting Rodriguez Torres along the way. Stuckart said his main responsibility as a guardian is to provide mentorship. "He's not living with us, and I'm not in charge of his finances or anything," Stuckart said. The gathering grew to about 100 people at about 5 p.m., including about 15 blocking the bus. Stuckart was not in front of the bus at the time, but he remained at the protest. Among the protestors was Alicea Gonzalez, 27, who brought her 5-year-old son Javell and father, Adam Betancort, 46. She wore a Mexico T-shirt to the protest, and the pair brought flags, one of Mexico, the other half-Mexican, half-American. The latter flag is representative of Betancourt and his identity, he said while holding the flapping fabric towards passing cars on the corner of Cataldo Ave and Washington Street, right outside the ICE facility. "I'm American and I'm a Mexican," he said. Though they don't know either of the men detained by ICE, they're familiar with their story; Gonzalez's maternal grandmother crossed the U.S.-Mexico border in the 1950s, floating across the river in a car tire, she said. Betancort's parents are also immigrants from Mexico. "I appreciate that; I wouldn't have the life that I live without her," Gonzalez said. "So I'm just showing my support, letting people know that they have people out here that will stand behind them, and use their voices to speak up for them." Around 5:25 p.m., a group of roughly 150 protesters ran around the back of the building to obstruct three unmarked law enforcement vehicles from leaving a fenced-in parking area abutting the public parking area for Riverfront Park. Protesters shouted "Shame" repeatedly and about 10 of them linked arms in a line in front of the parking lot gate. A handful of agents, faces covered by ski masks and sunglasses, began to push the human chain of demonstrators knocking their glasses and handmade signs scattering on the ground. Protestors and officers shoved each other in a mass of yelling and chanting for about a minute before the agents retreated into their parking lot and the gate closed. Not long after the agents retreated back inside, a handful of protesters hauled Lime scooters and park benches as a barricade to block vehicles from leaving from the gate. Spokane Police officers arrived shortly before 6:30 p.m., followed by Spokane County sheriff's deputies. The local law enforcement response grew to dozen by about 6:45 p.m. The group then formed a sort of protective barrier for an exit on the Washington Street side of the building. They carried weapons to shoot less-lethal munitions, with what appeared to be tear gas canisters and large hip bags with unidentified materials inside. As the officers widened their perimeter to encompass much of the yard abutting the Washington Street side of the building, another group of deputies and officers began forcibly removing protestors from around the small bus. A Spokane Police Department officer spoke over the regional SWAT car speaker system at 7:13 p.m. and ordered everyone present to disperse. The officer gave the demonstrators five minutes to do so. Few left the scene when police warned at 7:22 p.m. that they would use force if the crowd did not leave. Stuckart and at least a dozen others were arrested just after 7:30 p.m. A second, planned protest at Riverfront Park escalated hours after the Stuckart-led event and riot-clad officers began shooting tear gas and making arrests, with the two eventually merging. Harris Kahler, a 23-year-old protestor said he was standing in the front lines when officers pulled out paint guns and shot the ground in front of the line around 8:40 p.m. After that, smoke canisters were thrown and Kahler kicked one back in response. Kahler then went to grab another, turned around and believed he was shot in the lower back with a rubber bullet. "I'm in a lot of pain, but if I physically have to be here, I'll be the shield I got to be," Kahler said. In a telephone interview, City Council President Betsy Wilkerson said she acknowledged the right of everyone to protest. "If I wasn't somewhere else, I might be there myself to support our sisters and brothers," she said. "I'm just hoping for the best outcome, elevating the issue and getting people involved in the way they feel they best can, and that's a protest. "With that being said, we're not trying to throw more wood on this fire, to elevate it to more than a peaceful protest." Reached by phone, City Councilman Jonathan Bingle said he fully supports the right of every American to peacefully protest. "It's one of the rights that makes our country so great! But, the moment a protest turns into small vandalism, threats, or lawlessness, it is no longer protected speech. It becomes a crime, and should be dealt with as such," Bingle said. "I am stunned by the position of some of our current and former elected officials in our city. Instead of standing for the rule of law and the officers who keep our streets safe, they seem more interested in scoring points or justifying bad behavior. That is not leadership." City Councilman Paul Dillon in an interview that he supported those who were willing to stand up for their beliefs. "No human being is illegal," he said. "This is a direct result of the escalation and fears the Trump administration inflicts on communities which create chaos." Reporters Elena Perry, Thomas Clouse, Emry Dinman and Corbin Vanderby contributed to this report.
Yahoo
08-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Hundreds of athletes participate in IRONMAN 70.3 in western Mass.
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – More than 1,500 athletes spent the day on Sunday braving some changes to the third annual IRONMAN Triathlon in western Massachusetts. IRONMAN 70.3 is a race made up of swimming, cycling, and running for hundreds of athletes from all over the world to get a chance to win hundreds of thousands of dollars for themselves and local organizations in the city. Race organizers brought it back to western Massachusetts for the third year. Holyoke hosts first Paper Festival, celebrating the city's history and culture 'The community here is incredible, so supportive,' said IRONMAN Foundation Executive Director Audra Tassone. 'It's a beautiful place and everybody is just so welcoming, and we're so excited to be back.' IRONMAN was supposed to start at 6:00 a.m., but the rain on Saturday led to the swimming portion being cancelled. The water levels in the Connecticut River were too high and were moving too fast, so as a pre-caution, the race started 40 minutes later with the cyclists from Riverfront Park. However, that didn't stop family, friends, and fans from lining up to cheer for the participants. The race went through Springfield, Agawam, Southwick, Westfield, West Springfield, and parts of Connecticut. It ended with a run through Forest Park. Some families said they were just excited to be there for the first time. 'It's just really exciting that he can do this while we're preparing to welcome our first child,' said Jenelle Janssen of Beverly. 'And it's a cool way for him to stay active while our life is about to change.' Another family traveled from Connecticut to see their loved one compete once again. 'This is my fifth IRONMAN spectating, because my wife is racing,' said Oye Oworu of Connecticut. 'We did Tremblant last year. We did this one, the inaugural one, she's been out to Utah, California, Maine.' The race ended with qualifying slots to the 2025 IRONMAN World Championship in Spain. It would be a new place for the Oworus to visit. 'We turn these things into vacation,' Oworu said. 'So it will be a vacation for me and another race for her.' WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Spokane mom who lost son to fentanyl to launching 'Gabriel's Challenge' to unite community
May 9—This Mother's Day, Kitara Johnson Jones is taking more than a couple page's out of her late son's 66-page playbook. Her son, Gabriel Fensler, died from a Fentanyl overdose on March 3, the day after his 24th birthday. While he was getting sober and enrolled in treatment programs, making tangible steps toward recovery, Fensler drafted a 66-page plan to address Fentanyl addiction in his city, the "Community Care Collaborative," through connection with and compassion for others. On Sunday evening, Jones is hosting a kickoff to a 36-day challenge in honor of her late son's vision. Called "Gabriel's Challenge," leaders in government, business, faith and nonprofit sectors will convene at the Pavilion at Riverfront Park, starting 6 p.m., with members of the community in an effort to find unitedness against a common enemy in opioids. "It's a space for city leaders to make that commitment open, verbally and in front of the entire community so we can hold them accountable," Jones said. After Sunday's event, which will feature music, speakers and recognition of those lost to fentanyl and their families, the challenge invites residents to form closer bonds in their neighborhoods in a few ways. Namely, residents can "adopt a block" to walk regularly and commune with those living there. It's the first step to what she thinks could "heal the city:" a relationship with others. "That's why I'm keeping it real simple," Jones said. "I hope by the end of this we will see our political differences put aside and we can make some real change." Elena Perry's work is funded in part by members of the Spokane community via the Community Journalism and Civic Engagement Fund. This story can be republished by other organizations for free under a Creative Commons license. For more information on this, please contact our newspaper's managing editor.
