Lady Liberty is a representation of justice, freedom and acceptance. She is an iconic symbol of the United States of America, welcoming all who come into the country. In Lincoln Park, you can see Lady Liberty most evenings, flying the U.S. flag upside down and marching for freedom.
Rebecca Moreau is an average U.S citizen. She lives in Garden City, Colorado and works as a chef. For several weeks, Moreau has donned her Lady Liberty costume and walked around Lincoln Park to protest the Trump administration.
“I guess the day that Pretti got assassinated is the day that I started walking,” Moreau said. “I just couldn’t sit still and watch our rights get walked on.”
Alex Pretti, an intensive care nurse, was fatally shot by Immigrations and Customs Enforcement agents on January 24. He is one of several U.S citizens who had been killed at the hands of ICE agents, along with Renee Good and Keith Porter. Following their deaths, protests broke out en masse calling for the abolishment of ICE.
Moreau created a continuous, silent protest.
“We call it, ‘Tread Against Trump,’” Moreau said.
Silent protests aren’t anything new. The method of civil disobedience is used to show disapproval for certain events in a disciplined, nonviolent way.
“I feel like just sometimes silence says more.” Moreau said.
Her act of resistance made her known across the U.S. through a Reddit post.
On the Greeley subforum of the site, a user posted about Moreau, dubbing her “The Lone Protester.” The post became widespread, reaching well into other states.
“That was weird. I'm like, ‘Oh, never been there,’” Moreau said.
She made her own post on the site titled, “I am the Lone Protester.”
“I would rather talk less than more. I am walking against Trump,” Moreau stated in the post. “I believe in upholding the constitution, and I believe that what is happening right now is everything the U.S. is supposed to stand against.”
The Lone Protester didn’t remain alone in protest for long. Several people joined Moreau in Tread Against Trump, to protest the current administration and ICE activity.
“After the first two or three days, I figured it'd just be me by myself,” Moreau said. “They started showing up regularly and a couple of other people showed up on the days that they came out. So I definitely didn't think it was going to take off.”
José Guerrero, a second-year UNC student majoring in world languages, finds that protests are valuable methods of speech.
“I do believe that protests have the power to make changes,” Guerrero said. “But I don’t think that the people who are in power right now care about repercussions or what people stand for.”
Guerrero’s view is shared by many UNC students and staff, who are focussed on ensuring students safety.
UNC administration participated in its own form of silent protesting this year by placing flyers in bathrooms with information on what to do if ICE comes on to campus, following increased ICE activity in Greeley.
Moreau and the other protesters noticed the increase in immigration activity.
“That worries me too, that their presence here is just growing very rapidly,” Moreau said.
Lady Liberty will continue to walk around Lincoln Park, protesting for justice, freedom and acceptance.
“I think it's going to take a long time if everybody even turns out to be on the same page again,” Moreau said. “So, I don't really know how we're going to get past that, but we have time to wait.”
Delayed Until Further Notice: What is Next for UNC Students Now that Study Abroad is Changing?
Greeley's Community Celebrates Freezy Daze
