Man dressed as Batman protests ICE at California municipal council meeting

An unidentified man dressed as Batman made an unusual appearance at a Santa Clara, California city council meeting on Tuesday to protest the presence of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement ahead of Super Bowl LX, scheduled for February 8 in the city.

During the public comment portion of the meeting, the man in the Batman costume addressed council members directly. "What the hell are we doing here?" he said, striking the podium with his hand. He continued: "You've had months to prepare for this event. I don't give a damn if this is a lack of decorum. People are dying every day on the streets of this country."

The protester accused council members of inaction and collaboration with federal immigration policies. He characterized their passivity or active cooperation with ICE—whether through information sharing or provision of resources—as making them complicit in what he described as an "unjust, discriminatory and harmful" policy affecting San Diego's social fabric.

The appearance came amid heightened tensions over ICE enforcement activities. Within the past month, two people were killed in Minneapolis by ICE agents as the agency has been deployed extensively by the Trump administration in its immigration enforcement operations. These incidents have prompted a wave of protests across California.

The man called council members "cowards and traitors" for their perceived failure to take measures against ICE operations in the city. His intervention, which was broadcast live on the city council's official YouTube channel, was recorded and circulated on social media.

California, a Democratic stronghold and home to one of the country's largest immigrant populations, has seen growing activism against ICE operations in recent weeks. The Super Bowl, set to take place in the region on February 8, has become a focal point for concerns about potential immigration enforcement actions during the event.