JANM is Deeply Concerned by the Shooting of Renee Good and Ongoing Escalation of Force in Minneapolis

Editors please note: JANM’s Pavilion is closed for renovation; programs will continue on the JANM campus and at other locations at janm.org/OnTheGo. 

LOS ANGELES, CA – The Japanese American National Museum (JANM) is deeply concerned and saddened by the ongoing escalation of intimidation tactics and force that led to the killing of Renee Nicole Macklin Good, a poet, writer, wife, mother, and US citizen, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Since this tragic incident, another man was shot by a federal officer, excessive intimidating tactics continue to be used against protesters and bystanders throughout the nation, and the Administration is now threatening to invoke the Insurrection Act to quash protests in Minneapolis and enforce their massive immigration crackdown.

“JANM strongly condemns the escalation of force that led to the killing of Renee Nicole Macklin Good, a US citizen who was exercising her right to protest against the unjust practices against immigration communities. Her death occurred as a result of an expansive ICE operation and a federal narrative that impacts civil rights and due process for everyone living in the United States. This sadly harkens back to the Japanese American incarceration during World War II—one of the most shameful chapters in America’s history. JANM was established to preserve that history—a time when federal agencies acted with sweeping authority, driven by fear and racial prejudice, resulting in the loss of civil rights, liberty, property, and dignity for more than 125,000 people. The majority were citizens of the United States. The actions taken in 1942 and now, were driven by fear-based rhetoric, racial animosity and the unchecked expansion of power. During this critical point in time, it’s vital to stand together to support immigration communities and strongly advocate for the importance of social justice, dignity, and civil rights,” said William T Fujioka, Chair of the JANM Board of Trustees.

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