An Attack on Freedom
This letter to the editor, by Laurie Harmon, appeared in the Hudson Star Observer on January 29, 2026.
We enjoy many freedoms as Americans, including the right to protest, and the right to defend ourselves. We’ve protested wars, Civil Rights and most recently Immigration and Customs Enforcement invasions in our cities. All these demonstrations, as long as they are peaceful and non-threatening, are legal. Additionally, even though some people disagree, we even have the right to bear arms, provided we follow the laws.
On Saturday, however, we witnessed a devastating test of those freedoms when Alex Pretti — alone, non-threatening and exercising his legal right to carry a concealed weapon with a permit — was walking on the public streets, legally filming ICE activities with his cell phone. After witnessing a violent altercation in which an ICE agent pushed a woman to the ground, Pretti rendered her aid.
As a result, a mob of federal agents viciously attacked him. First, they removed his holstered handgun. Then, they pepper-sprayed him, forced him to the ground and pistol-whipped him before firing almost 10 shots, at close range, into his unarmed, defenseless body, murdering him in cold blood.
Following the incident, the Department of Homeland Security and Kristi Noem attempted to spread a different narrative. However, the multitude of raw, undoctored footage collected from multiple angles and the many sworn affidavits from witnesses clearly confirm that Alex Pretti was not a threat to the ICE agents. He was not causing a scene. He was not in a large, uncontrollable group of protesters. He was not holding his weapon in his hand.
The president’s reaction to the events is even more concerning. In a verified “now you see it, now you don’t” tweet, he posted, “He had a gun. Only criminals carry guns on our streets. We need law and order…”
I agree we need law and order. But, although I’m not a gun owner myself, I do understand that we have Second Amendment laws that legally allow folks to carry and conceal a firearm, providing they follow the rules. Trump’s statement is confusing, contradictory, and counter to our rights and freedoms. No wonder he removed the tweet hours after he posted it.
We will continue to see violations of our rights unless we stop ICE’s deadly actions. Please call U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (202- 224-5653) and Ron Johnson (202-224-5323) and tell them to vote against more funding for ICE. We need to protect our freedoms before we lose them.