Statement By FOTP Executive Director about ICE Agents Posing in front of The Bean

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 11, 2025

Statement By FOTP Executive Director about ICE Agents Posing in front of the The Bean

Chicago, IL -- The following statement has been released by Friends of the Parks (FOTP) in response to ICE agents posing in front of The Bean (Cloud Gate) in Millennium Park.  

“Friends of the Parks was shocked and deeply troubled by ICE agents recently posing in front of The Bean (Cloud Gate) in Millenium Park for a photo op. Chicago’s parks are sanctuaries throughout our city that should be places of peace, safety, and community. 

The millions of people who live, work, and play in our great city should never feel threatened or intimidated in any of our 600-plus parks, especially from our government agencies. FOTP strongly condemns using our public spaces to create fear among our residents, which was the impact as ICE agents were reported to have yelled “Little Village” as they posed for this propaganda shot as reported by Block Club author Colin Boyle on November 10, 2025. 

We call on the City of Chicago and the Chicago Park District to do everything they can within the law to ensure that such displays of force in our Chicago parks does not happen again.”

Brian Gladstein, FOTP Executive Director 

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For more information, contact Hannah Williams, 610-715-9770, hannahw@fotp.org