How anti-ICE pin badges became the essential red carpet accessory

"The pins are part of a campaign backed by organisations such as the American Civil Liberties Union. In an interview, Nelini Stamp, one of the organisers, said: We need every part of civil society to speak up. We need our artists. We need our entertainers. We need the folks who reflect society. TikTok is awash with tutorials on how to make button badges, while sellers on marketplaces such as Etsy have been quick to offer their own takes."

"Komina Guevara, a beadwork artist based in Missouri who makes ICE out and FCK ICE charms that can be attached to a pin, worn on a chain or on a phone strap, describes the act of wearing one as a small, intimate protest. They offer a confidence that a lot of people are afraid of. T-shirts rebuking ICE are also gaining traction."

Red carpet events are being used as platforms for protest, with pin badges becoming a prominent accessory. At the Grammys, stars wore black-and-white pins reading "ICE out" condemning US Immigration and Customs Enforcement actions. Be Good pins honored Renee Good and Keith Porter Jr after fatal encounters involving ICE agents. The pins are part of a campaign backed by groups including the ACLU, and organisers call on artists and entertainers to speak up. Social media hosts DIY tutorials while marketplaces like Etsy and Rad Badges sell Abolish ICE merchandise. Artists produce ICE out and FCK ICE charms, and T-shirts echoing 'ICE out' messages also appeared online.

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