Public Grief as Resistance: Finding Courage to Fight Back Against Authoritarianism

By Organizing Acts of Public Grief, We Build the Courage to Keep Fighting

The recent confrontations with ICE in Minnesota, and the community response to the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, demonstrate a powerful truth: organizing acts of public grief can cultivate the courage needed to sustain resistance against authoritarianism. As the U.S. Continues military actions abroad and immigration enforcement intensifies domestically, understanding how to process collective trauma and channel it into continued dissent is crucial.

Fascism relies on instilling fear to achieve compliance. Authoritarian regimes don’t attempt to repress every individual; instead, they employ threats and violence to create a climate of fear. If fear is the weapon, then sustained dissent is the counter-strategy. The response to the killings by ICE agents – not apathy, but increased urgency and dedication – illustrates this principle.

Organizers are recognizing that outrage alone isn’t enough to sustain a movement. It’s the remembrance of those lost, and the connection to a longer history of struggle, that builds lasting resolve. Intentional acts of public grief provide a pathway to strengthen that resolve, acknowledging loss while simultaneously fueling continued action. This is particularly relevant as the U.S. And Israel engage in actions resulting in civilian casualties, testing the emotional stamina of those who oppose such violence.

Fear as a Tool of Control

The killings of Ruben Ray Martinez, Keith Porter Jr., and Julian Marquette Bailey by ICE agents, and the abandonment of Nurul Amin Shah Alam, a refugee from Myanmar, are intended to instill fear. These incidents, and the deaths of individuals like Geraldo Lunas Campos and Wael Tarabishi within deportation facilities, are not isolated events but part of a deliberate strategy to intimidate and control. The killing of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis was similarly intended to quell dissent, but instead sparked further resistance.

Unlike the silence of corporations and political leaders, the public reaction to these events demonstrated a commitment to continued action. This response wasn’t simply reactive outrage; it was a conscious effort to build courage and sustain momentum.

The Power of Public Grief

Grief is a natural response to loss, but when practiced collectively and publicly, it can become a powerful tool for resistance. It’s a way to honor the deceased, acknowledge the pain, and reaffirm a commitment to fighting for a more just world. The memorial for Renee Good, organized by community members and Indigenous leaders, exemplifies this approach.

The memorial wasn’t simply a vigil; it incorporated elements of ceremony, dance, drumming, and ritual, creating a space for collective mourning and healing. Organizers drew inspiration from traditions within the Black radical tradition, where libations are poured and names are called to honor those who have been lost, and from movements in Ireland and Argentina, where funerals and processions were used as acts of political defiance. Similar practices were observed in Iran, where funerals became focal points for protests against the regime.

As organizers noted, the memorial was designed to be inclusive and additive, honoring not only Renee Good but all those killed by ICE. A toolkit was created to help others organize similar ceremonies in their communities, with the goal of building a broader movement rooted in collective grief and resistance. Vigils have already been held in D.C. For Julian Marquette Bailey, in Georgia for those killed in state prisons, and in California for Keith Porter Jr., demonstrating the growing momentum of this approach.

Learning from History

The practice of transforming grief into resistance is not new. The United Farm Workers held rosaries and funeral processions for fallen compañeros, turning mourning into marches for dignity and contracts. These historical examples demonstrate the power of collective mourning to galvanize movements and sustain resistance over time.

The Korean labor leader Wol-san Liem emphasized the importance of remembering martyrs, stating that honoring their memory allows activists to “inherit the spirit of your martyrs and using that to mobilize.” This practice of remembrance is a crucial component of sustaining courage and commitment in the face of adversity.

What Happens Next

The movement to transform grief into resistance is gaining momentum, with communities across the country organizing vigils and ceremonies to honor those killed by ICE and other federal agents. The toolkit created by organizers in Minneapolis provides a valuable resource for those seeking to replicate this approach in their own communities. The continued success of this movement will depend on the ability to sustain collective action, build solidarity across communities, and challenge the systems of oppression that perpetuate violence and injustice.

The goal is not simply to mourn the dead, but to honor their memory by continuing the fight for a more just and equitable world. As Becka Tilsen, a frontline organizer, stated, “We live in a world where Renee could be killed the way she was. But right here, right now, what we see around us, is also the world we live in. A world we are building with each other.”

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