On Wednesday I learned that ICE had launched an incursion into Maine. They call it “Operation Catch of the Day,” implying that human beings are just fish to be swept up in their net. Maine is alarmingly close to home. I considered what I could do and decided that going to Maine to watch for ICE activity would be useful. Yesterday (as of Friday, when this will be posted) I drove to York, which is about an hour from home. The biggest trouble area is in Lewiston, which is twice as far, but I decided I couldn’t justify that much travel. Besides, ICE might strike anywhere in Maine.
I followed recommended precautions: Have a plan. Let people know your plans. Turn off phone face unlocking. Dress inconspicuously. Bring food and water.
York is a town of about 14,000 people. There’s nothing bigger in the southern end of Maine. My destination was the York Public Library. It would be a place to rest between rounds of looking around. As I got close, I saw the kind of houses, shops, churches, and town hall that you might see in any New England town. Then I saw something a shade more unusual: an anti-ICE protest! I waved at them and pulled into the nearby library parking lot, then walked down and joined them. It was only about a dozen people and their planned time was nearly over, but I had a chance to talk with some of them. In particular, I got into a conversation with James Kences, the town historian. We kept talking and shortly headed for the library, where he was working on a huge research project on Donald Trump. I mostly listened as he talked about York from Revolutionary times, Trump, and a lot of other things. Occasionally I said something to reassure him I wasn’t losing the thread.
He mentioned a set of four murals in the Town Hall showing the history of York from the first British settlement in 1624 to the end of the 20th century, so I walked over and looked them over. They have lots of detail, with events superimposed on a map as the area was in each century. York is the second-oldest incorporated town in the state.
I spent some time in the library and periodically walked around the area. Along the way I discovered Village Scoop ice cream and had a cup of Moose Tracks (what other flavor would I have in Maine?). Eventually I found a place in the library where I had a good view of a significant area, including a site where some construction workers were working, so I made that my lookout point after I was tired of walking.
Nothing exciting happened out there, fortunately. As it got close to 3 PM, I made one more walking round, went back to my car, and headed home.
It was definitely a good day, even if bad news motivated it.