Queer activists ‘Scare the State’ at ICE protest on Halloween

On Halloween, activists from Gay Shame and Queers Undermining Israeli Terrorism (QUIT) combined two beloved SF traditions: dressing up and radical protest. A colorful group marched from Market Street to 100 Montgomery, site of SF Immigration Court where ICE abductions like those of local drag performer Hilary Rivers have taken place, to demand an end to ICE, among other causes.

“Fags and Dykes, we all hate ICE,” one chant went. “Bottoms tops, we all hate cops!” Like all great queer protests, there was of course a fabulous drag number (from KaiKai Bee Michaels), along with a couple well-quitted piñatas and some good old-fashioned “honk to support migrants” outreach.

On a holiday which was surprisingly low-key and low-politics for the city (not that we need more Trump-Hamburglar crossover costumes but this last year has been pretty ripe for some creative takedowns—couldn’t we at least get one Qatari luxury jet?), it was a welcome moment of real purpose alongside the levity. All photos by Leon Kunstenaar