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In another event that is symptomatic of the downfall of the United States under the Trump administration, Renee Nicole Good was murdered within her vehicle by an ICE agent.

For those who don’t know, ICE is the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency that, under the instruction of President Trump have begun to root out immigrants. If this were simply an anti-immigration purge to deport illegal immigrants, it would be less of a problem. But it is very much not; it is the pursuit of a racial bias on behalf of Trump.

Innocent minorities, even majorities, live in fear and anger. Many brave US citizens have taken to protecting their local communities from being torn apart by these merciless savages. It’s not even clear Renee Good was doing this, but it hardly matters. An innocent woman lies dead, killed by an officer for no reason, no point.

Let that sink in.

To many, I’m sure, this feels like a real-life dystopia; perhaps it is. What makes it worse is that this agent will receive no punishment; he won’t be held accountable for his actions. In fact, Vice-President JD Vance has spoken out in support of the killing of an innocent woman, accusing her of being part of a domestic terror scheme and trying to run over law enforcement, despite video evidence that suggests otherwise. Unfortunately, this is not surprising, and not exactly the first time that either of these despicable men has justified the killing of innocents; one only must look at their policies in Gaza and Palestine to find them doing the same on an even bigger scale. 

The real importance lies in the response from Minnesotans and the US public. Mayor Frey of Minneapolis, where the shooting took place, has responded strongly in his urging of ICE to “Get the f**k out”. His call has been taken up by the public as they also look to stand up to the Trump Administration and the oppressive powers seemingly given to anti-immigration forces.

Is this the beginning of a new era? Or is this the beginning of the end? It seems fair to say that this is a battle for the very heart of democracy, the people versus the president. If Trump wins, it sets a nasty precedent for governments overruling their people and takes America a step further towards the authoritarian rule that their current president seems to want so much. 

Speaking to an American today, he used the phrase ‘Nobody is like Trump’; he may well be right. However, it is not so unimaginable that somebody like Trump could be in power here in the United Kingdom.

Farage sits at the top of the polls and has a similar anti-immigration and frankly racist rhetoric installed at the centre of his party. He’s also shown support for the US President, spending more time in the US than in his constituency in Clacton. Subsequently, this may be another warning sign for what is to come if Reform manages to accrue power. Obviously, this also raises questions about the function of MPs and their loyalties to the people that they represent. That, though, is for another article. 

All in all, Renne Good stands as a symbol of the fight for democracy. A fallen soldier in the war against authoritarian government. We should not forget the atrocity of her death and the actions that preceded it. No government should be allowed to uproot their citizens based on no evidence and against the wish of the masses.

This is not a matter of safety; this is a matter of power. Let this act as a warning; do not let the power fall into the wrong hands. In the case of the United States of America, it already has, but it cannot stay there. Trump cannot be allowed his wish to remain President in contradiction of the current US Constitution.

Remember, Renee Good died for the sake of a racist agenda, and so many more will if we allow wannabe dictators like Trump, Farage, Netanyahu and Putin into power. It starts on campus, not giving a platform to Reform UK, it starts at home, challenging fascist rhetoric, and it becomes so much more.