BOISE BENCH, Idaho — Local restaurants and breweries are making their positions known on social media following recent protests over U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations.
Red Bench Pizza on the Boise Bench posted a statement over the weekend telling followers: "We want you to know where we stand. Abolish ICE."
Kacey Montgomery, owner of Red Bench Pizza, said he decided to speak out publicly after learning about the shooting deaths of two Americans in Minneapolis.
"When you watch those videos, they're pretty horrific, in my opinion," said Montgomery. "And when I watch our government do something like that, and then hear them tell me that what I saw and what I heard wasn't what I saw and heard. That's scary, and that's when I chose to speak out."
WATCH: Why local businesses are publicly taking a stance on federal immigration policies
Other Boise businesses have also voiced their stance, including Boise Brewing and Barbarian Brewing.
Barbarian Brewing launched a "Pretti Good" pale ale on Thursday with proceeds benefiting nonprofits that support immigrants.
Meanwhile in Eagle, the owners at Old State Saloon have taken a different perspective, sharing an offer in November for free drinks to anyone who helps ICE with deportations. The offer was met with mixed reactions.
WATCH: DHS reposts Eagle bar’s free drink offer tied to immigration tips
"I've had everything from I want to franchise your bar— to I want to shut your bar down," said Mark Fitzpatrick, Old State Saloon owner.
At Red Bench Pizza, the response has been mostly positive. Although they quickly received a handful of one-star reviews, the post has received thousands of likes online and hundreds of supportive comments.
RELATED | DHS reposts Eagle bar’s free drink offer tied to immigration tips
When asked if taking such a public stance could have been a big risk for the business, Montgomery disagreed.
"I don't see it as a risk at all. Being a part of our community, I think it's our responsibility to speak out, and the type of people that come into Red Bench are great people already, and we knew they would appreciate that," Montgomery said.
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been, in part, converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
