The air was frigid in Portland on Saturday afternoon, but that didn’t stop more than 40 cyclists from gathering to ride in honor of Alex Pretti, a nurse and avid cyclist who was killed by a Border Patrol agent in Minnesota on Jan. 24. 

Led by the Bicycle Coalition of Maine and Portland Gear Hub, Saturday’s ride was one of many organized by Angry Catfish bike shop in Minneapolis, where Pretti was a frequent customer. 

Rides took place not only in cities across the United States, but also in countries like Spain, Germany, and Denmark, Maine Bicycle Coalition Deputy Director Daniel Bissette said.

“We decided that we would heed the call and organize a ride here not only to honor Alex, but also that he was a cyclist and a member of our community,” Bissette said. “We feel the loss.” 

Saturday’s ride was as much in protest of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity as it was in honor of Pretti. The protest followed several held across the state throughout January, including a massive rally of over 1,000 protesters in Portland on Friday. 

The ride, Bissette said, was a way for the Maine cycling community to voice their dismay about ICE activity in the state and across the country. 

“There are many different ways to do your part and voice your opinion to help make the change you want to see,” Bissette said. “This is a way we feel we can do that.” 

Portland Gear Hub Director James O’Donnell said the ride also honored Renee Good, shot and killed by an immigration agent, and Heber Sánchez Domínguez, Víctor Manuel Díaz and others who have died in ICE custody. 

“Everyone belongs in our communities,” O’Donnell said. “The cycling community is very close-knit. I think this is a wake-up call for some people.” 

Aaron Holmberg, a cyclist originally from Minnesota, said Saturday’s ride hit close to home. 

As a Minneapolis native, Holmberg said he lived in the neighborhood where George Floyd was killed by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin in 2020. 

Floyd’s death sparked global protests against police brutality, and now, Holmberg feels like history is repeating itself. 

“George Floyd’s death affected me personally. Alex Pretti’s death shocked me,” Holmberg said. “I know those streets. I know all of that. For whatever reason, Minnesota has become ground zero for all of this.” 

Wisconsin native Josh Kinsman felt similarly on Saturday afternoon. 

As a Midwesterner and a cyclist with good friends in Minneapolis, Kinsman said he wanted to take a stand against ICE and show his appreciation for Pretti and what he stood up for. 

“It just as easily could’ve been any one of us,” Kinsman said. “You shouldn’t be punished just for being human.” 

The need to show up for Saturday’s ride didn’t just come from native Midwesterners, but from Mainers as well. 

Ella Ferguson and Susanna Jaykub, of Portland, attended the ride together to show support for Pretti and the anti-ICE movement. 

“I’ve been trying to spend whatever time I have left in my life being the activist I’ve been wanting to be,” Ferguson said. “Now feels like the perfect time to make that happen.” 

The winter sun shone overhead as the cyclists took off down Portland’s Bayside Trail in solidarity with Pretti. 

Across the world, cyclists of many nationalities did the same. 

“Our joy is riding bikes, and I feel that joy is also an act of resistance,” Bissette said. “We’re embracing that.”