Hundreds of community members showed up Wednesday evening for a special meeting of the Newport City Council to offer public comment on the potential new ICE facility to be located at the Newport Municipal Airport.

Protestors began showing up as early as 4 p.m. outside, and a large presence began to develop around 5 p.m. The council chambers were completely filled with concerned citizens. Many more waited outside the chambers in the City Hall hallway to listen to a livestream, and even more citizens gathered and watched a livestream of the meeting a block away at the Newport Recreational Center.

Gabrielle McEntee, one of the owners of Mo’s Seafood and Chowder, said the news left her shocked and dismayed.

“We live in a peaceful place,” she said “Our community comes together when there are

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