Two groups with opposing views on immigration hosted events Saturday in Fishers.
One was a private rally in support of mass deportation. The other, at Holland Park, was open to the public and expressed support for immigrants, largely framed as a counter-event to the other rally.
Hundreds gathered at the park carrying signs with pro-immigration messages, some denouncing Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Fishers resident Kelly Sutter said it was important to show her support for her immigrant neighbors in light of the pro-mass deportation event scheduled the same day.
"I just think that the only purpose of the other event today is just hate and ignorance, and I think we've shown up and shown that there's more of us than them, that [we] would rather love our neighbor than hate them," Sutter said.
The march drew people from outside of Fishers. Braedon Eckert from Carmel, who came with his friend Gavin Ellis from Westfield, said it was important to show up.
"Just seeing like all this hatred towards, you know, migrants and you know, anyone else, and minorities, it's just good to be out here all together and just supporting everyone, no matter where they are," Eckert said.
Indiana State Sen. Fady Qaddoura (D-Indianapolis), who spoke in Holland Park, likened the mass deportation rally and its participants to the Ku Klux Klan.
"What they are trying to do, they are replacing slogans, uniforms, and messages, but they are using the same playbook that played in Indiana over 100 years ago," Qaddoura said.
The KKK rose to prominence in Indiana in the 1920s under the leadership of D.C. Stephenson.
"They wrapped their message of family values, of patriotism, and protecting the nation by making you fear your neighbors, by dividing communities of faith, by attacking our siblings in the black and the brown and the Jewish and the Catholic communities for no reason except to worship power, not worship God," Qaddoura said.
Save Heritage Indiana's pro-mass deportation rally
The pro-mass deportation rally, hosted by Save Heritage Indiana, attracted national attention in the days leading up to the event.
Daniel Poynter, Save Heritage Indiana's co-founder and executive director, told WFYI ahead of the event that the U.S. needs to put a moratorium on letting immigrants into the country, and that mass deportations are needed for those not legally in the country. He said the immigration crisis in the U.S. is hurting the middle class.
"That's what's at stake is losing the middle, which is what makes America so special," Poynter said. "Middle class people who go to church, who go to college, who save for retirement, and that is at risk of being destroyed."
Few details were released on the Save Heritage Indiana rally, including its location, time and expected number of attendees. WFYI asked Poynter before the event if media would be allowed access to cover it, and he said, "No."
State officials Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith and Attorney General Todd Rokita were listed to have video messages prepared for the rally. Indiana State Rep. Jim Lucas (R-Seymour) was expected to be in attendance.
Gov. Mike Braun and U.S. Sen. Jim Banks (R-Indiana) did not submit videos or comments for the event, and did not appear to be attending. Their lack of participation resulted in Save Heritage Indiana calling Braun and Banks out.
This led to a public fallout with former Save Heritage Indiana leader Nathan Roberts, who in a statement said he would no longer be involved with the group due to differences in strategy.
"Mass migration is such a serious problem that everyone who takes it seriously needs to be united," Roberts stated. "Going after the best senator in the country on this issue, who has authored bills ending birthright citizenship and making sure we end CDL scams, is not how we do that."
Roberts left his leadership role with Heritage Indiana earlier this year to be a state organizer for Turning Point, the national organization started by Charlie Kirk.
'Fishers is for everyone'
The national attention on Fishers this weekend also attracted support from other states. Iowa t-shirt company Raygun sent shirts to Fishers residents that read, 'Fishers is for everyone.'
Fishers Resist founder Julie Roberts had one of the shirts on and noted all the others she saw wearing one.
"We are a welcoming community, and you know, we are considered one of the best cities in the nation for schools, for friendliness, for community," Roberts said. "But if we want to stand by that and maintain that reputation, then we have to be welcoming to immigrants."
Organizers at the pro-immigration event said about 1,000 people showed up. Roberts said she was happy with the turnout.
"We saw so many people who were immigrants today, and we saw many immigrants in line today. And more and more immigrants are showing up and feeling brave enough to show up," she said. "Unlike Bavino, whose crowd is doing it in secrecy, we are brave and standing up for what we know is right and not being shy about it."
The gathering was a collaboration of several groups including Fishers Resist, several Indivisible community chapters, Indy Resistance, Somos Latinos, Action Neighbors, Indiana Organizing Project and Voices 4 Democracy. Its march and planned vigil were cut short due to inclement weather.
Contact WFYI All Things Considered newscaster and reporter Samantha Horton at shorton@wfyi.org or on Signal at SamHorton.05
