CLEARFIELD: Amid sharp national rhetoric and online claims of hostility, at least one firsthand account from the recent “ICE Out” protest in Clearfield paints a markedly different picture — one defined less by confrontation and more by calm conversation, mutual respect, and unexpected cooperation.

Renee Berger, who attended the demonstration in person, described the gathering as cold in temperature but notably warm in tone. Based on multiple firsthand accounts, attendance appeared modest, with an estimated 13 to 30 protesters and counterprotesters combined present at the site.

According to Berger, the protest included individuals advocating against Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations as well as others present in opposition. Rather than devolving into conflict, she said the two sides spent time talking at length, exchanging views, and trying to understand one another’s perspectives.

Berger said discussions touched on training standards and accountability, including comparisons between military service preparation and the reported length of ICE training. She said those conversations were serious but measured, and that several participants expressed concern rather than hostility.

“One of the women put her sign down and said she was neutral,” Berger recounted, describing what she saw as openness rather than entrenchment.

According to her account, the only moment of disruption came not from ideological opponents but from a single individual she described as unstable and attempting to provoke conflict. Berger said it was ICE supporters — not protesters — who stepped in to help de-escalate the situation.

“They protected us. They de-escalated the problem,” she said. “Nobody was driven out.”

Berger emphasized that the event remained peaceful throughout, calling it one of the most positive protests she has ever attended. She said participants on both sides behaved reasonably, exchanged ideas respectfully, and demonstrated that disagreement does not require dehumanization.

“It was peaceful. It was joyful,” she said. “It actually showed some common ground between people who have differences of opinion, in a calm, respectful, and interested manner.”

She also pushed back strongly against online narratives suggesting people were chased away or intimidated, saying those claims do not align with what she personally witnessed. Berger expressed concern that misinformation — whether from bots, bad actors, or politically motivated sources — may be amplifying division rather than reflecting reality on the ground.

“I don’t know who wrote about people being chased off,” she said. “I was there. You cannot dispute my claims.”

In her view, portraying the protest as chaotic or hostile serves only to deepen political fractures and mistrust, rather than encourage dialogue. 

“What I experienced was a group of wonderful people on both sides,” Berger said. “I have a new friend from the opposition. We have more in common than not.”

While debates over immigration policy and federal enforcement remain deeply contentious nationwide, Berger’s account highlights a quieter reality sometimes overlooked in online discourse: in small communities like Clearfield, disagreement can still coexist with civility — and sometimes, the most meaningful outcome of a protest is not who wins an argument, but who listens.