This event is organized locally by the Cambridge chapter of the regional De-ICE Citizens Bank Coalition.
Citizens Bank publicly presents itself as a community-centered institution committed to social responsibility. Yet the Bank continues to maintain key financial relationships with CoreCivic and The GEO Group, two notorious, for-profit, prison corporations that build and operate immigration detention facilities for ICE, provide transportation services to ICE, and operate prisons for mass incarceration.
For more details about Citizens Bank’s relationship to the private prison system, go to boycottcitizens.org
In response, the De-ICE Citizens Bank Coalition (de.ICE.CitizensBank@gmail.com), presently comprising progressive organizations from MA, CT, VT, RI, NY, NJ, PA, DE, and DC, is holding informational standouts near Citizens Bank branches.
The Coalition calls upon Citizens Bank to live up to its stated values by publicly committing to end its financial relationships with private prison and detention contractors as soon as legally possible. These actions are intended to send a clear message: corporations and financial institutions that enable harmful immigration and detention policies must be held accountable by the communities they claim to serve.
We’ll stand out on the public sidewalks at Citizens Banks with signs and informational leaflets. We will urge Citizens Bank customers to contact their local branch managers and relevant executives of the Bank about the investments in ICE and to tell Citizens they may be closing their accounts.
Please only bring signs specific to this action, such as:
Citizens Bank: Stop Financing ICE Prisons! // ICE Cages Aren’t “Communities” // Citizens Bank + ICE = Human Rights Abuse // “Strengthen Our Communities”? Not with ICE Prisons! // Citizens Bank: Cut Ties With ICE.
We’ll have some extra signs.
Dress for the weather. Bring hand/foot warmers if you need them. Unless it is unsafe, we plan to be out in solidarity with activists around the country who won’t let weather deter them! Sign Up to be notified of any cancellation.
A core principle behind all of these events is a commitment to nonviolent action. We expect all participants to seek to de-escalate any potential confrontation with those who disagree with our values and to act lawfully at these events. Weapons of any kind, including those legally permitted, should not be brought to events. Please do not block business entrances or traffic.