An annual Amazon summit in New York was repeatedly interrupted by immigration protesters demanding the company cut ties with ICE.
Local streets outside of the Amazon Web Services event being held in New York City Thursday were shut down by protesters while inside the Javits Center, speakers were interrupted by those calling for the e-commerce giant to cease doing business with those companies associated with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
NOW: immigrants and allies interrupt #AWSSummit with audio of detained immigrant children and demand that company cuts ties with Trump’s deportation force. #NoTech4ICE #BackersofHate pic.twitter.com/nZBcxeFC9l
— Make the Road NY ? (@MaketheRoadNY) July 11, 2019
Protesters shouted over speakers, playing audio of detained immigrant children while demanding Amazon drop contracts it has with companies such as Palantir which provide technology services to ICE and the Department of Homeland Security.
BREAKING: second group, led by tech worker, interrupts Amazon CTO Werner Vogels #AWSSummit to demand that Amazon cut ties with ICE and Trump’s deportation machine. #NoTech4ICE @MaketheRoadNY @JFREJNYC pic.twitter.com/FpI7YYbnYA
— Daniel Altschuler ? (@altochulo) July 11, 2019
The interruptions came as Amazon CTO Werner Vogels was delivering an address at the annual conference, prompting security to remove the individuals after each outburst.
NOW: Fourth group at #awssummit2019 demands that Amazon CTO Werner Vogels (and the whole company) break ties with rogue ICE and Trump’s deportation machine! #NoTech4ICE pic.twitter.com/GcohZ2v4G3
— Make the Road NY ? (@MaketheRoadNY) July 11, 2019
Author and activist Daniel Altschuler of Make the Road Action noted that Werner was interrupted five times during his speech.
Overall, 30 people interrupted @Werner five times at @amazon’s #awssummit2019 to demand that the company cut ties with ICE and Trump’s deportation machine. #NoTech4ICE
Meanwhile, 500+ protested outside w/ @MaketheRoadNY @nychange @JFREJNYC @DesisRisingUp @ConMijente + more. https://t.co/G6rgxfoR7Z
— Daniel Altschuler ? (@altochulo) July 11, 2019
Sound has been cut from the live webcast as hecklers continue to shout @Werner over @amazon involvement with ICE#AWSSummit
— Sean Kerner (@TechJournalist) July 11, 2019
Werner apparently told protesters he was “more than willing to have a conversation” with them but asked that they let him finish his talk.
Hi ? @Werner: in response to immigrants, tech workers, @ allies demanding @amazon cut ties w/ the deportation machine, you say you’re willing to have a conversation. ?
Security removed us today, but you name the time and place and we’ll be there. #awssummit2019 #NoTech4ICE pic.twitter.com/SicVJVk9lQ
— Make the Road NY ? (@MaketheRoadNY) July 11, 2019
Demonstrators were lined up outside of the entrance area to the Summit as well.
Powerful scene outside Amazon’s #awssummit2019: immigrants and allies line the entire entrance to demand that this out-of-control company break ties with Trump’s deportation machine. #NoTech4ICE #BackersofHate pic.twitter.com/NxlUlqlTzi
— Daniel Altschuler ? (@altochulo) July 11, 2019
Hundreds have gathered outside the Javits Center to protest Amazon and it’s contributing facial recognition technology to ICE pic.twitter.com/H3WVQQXK2M
— Li Yakira??????♀️ (@WritingLiYakira) July 11, 2019
Happening now: 11th ave shut down outside of the #awssummit2019 as hundreds demand @amazon cut all ties with ICE and stop enabling the detention and deportation of immigrants #NoTech4ICE pic.twitter.com/kFATM8GAYJ
— New York Communities for Change (@nychange) July 11, 2019
NYC Council Member Brad Lander joined the activists on the streets.
Councilmember @bradlander asking folks to join us instead of joining the Amazon Web Services summit at Javits Center.
Four days before #PrimeDay, we say: #NoTech4ICE—@amazon cut your ties with ICE now, they are #BackersofHate! pic.twitter.com/nr81i3BTvQ
— Make the Road NY ? (@MaketheRoadNY) July 11, 2019
The protests were reportedly led by Make the Road NY, New York Communities for Change, and other immigration advocates, according to WABC in New York. They celebrated their efforts on Twitter with speeches by the ousted demonstrators and posts about how “our people power hacked the event’s hashtag” and caused it to trend – for the wrong reason.
Jamie San Andres of @MaketheRoadNY disrupted VP of Amazon @Werner with this message.#NoTech4ICE https://t.co/j3Q3NffN0u
— Angeles Solis (@AngeMariaSolis) July 11, 2019
#AWSSummit2019 is trending and I’m pretty confident it’s because our people power hacked the event’s hashtag.
Amazon provides extensive data and cloud computing services to companies working with ICE + DHS. @Amazon—cut your ties with ICE now! #NoTech4ICE pic.twitter.com/BavSjsXryt
— Ricardo Aca ? (@RicardoAcaNYC) July 11, 2019
The Protest game is strong at #AWSSummit today. Strategically placed folks planted in the audience shouting, at different points in the keynote for Amazon to cut alleged ties to ICE. Welcome to New York.
— Kenneth Hui (@kenhuiny) July 11, 2019
Listen to Jen of @MaketheRoadNY & Susannah of @JFREJNYC, two of the people who disrupted #AWSSummit2019 from within, calling on Amazon to cut ties with ICE & stop collaborating with #ICERaids. #NoTech4ICE #ClosetheCamps #NeverAgainIsNow pic.twitter.com/wTJRIEp1FF
— Jews for Racial & Economic Justice (@JFREJNYC) July 11, 2019
But with all the willing participants who held signs, shouted slogans and rudely interrupted speakers, many others called out the “shenanigans” on Twitter.
Yeah, stop people from getting to work, hospitals, school, stores, etc to bring attention to whatever it is about our laws the establishment purposely refused to fix for decades. You know who drives places? Voters, who are increasingly frustrated by Dems childish shenanigans.
— ERIC HEFFERNAN (@eric_heffernan) July 11, 2019
This is my issue here. These guys can protest Amazon (idk why tho, it’s like throwing a rock at a spaceship) but besides the point. Protesting I’m all for, but once people start getting in the ways of others because of it, you are not even protesting anymore Just being a nuisance
— Bill Rye (@BillRye8) July 11, 2019
So.if Amazon doesn’t provide the tech someone else will, stupid pointless protest. Maybe ICE could use blockchain. How stupid. I say deport illegals and now #NoTech4ICE
— TheChamps (@TheChamps14) July 11, 2019
Do these people not work?
— 1Happyfoot (@cathy1_s) July 11, 2019
I wonder if these people protesting ICE have walls on their homes, fences on their yards and would call the police if someone broke in to their home and demanded to stay.
— Dividends&Comics (@Divs_and_Comics) July 11, 2019
you all disrupt lives everyday with your ignorance and ANTI AMERICAN values. Putting ILLEGALS above CITIZENS will be the death of the democratic party’s chance at winning in 2020.
— dkstx56 (@dkwhou) July 11, 2019
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Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida where she has been writing for the BizPacReview team since 2015.
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