This Monday, hundreds of students participated in a school-wide walk out to protest against the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, otherwise known as ICE.
The walkout was coordinated by North Central’s chapter of Young Democratic Socialists of America (YDSA), specifically the Co-Presidents senior Jane Weaver, freshman Liam Bastnagel and senior Emma Akinleye. The three worked with their club to spread the word through a series of posts on Instagram.
Leaders of YDSA coordinated the walkout for Monday amidst a series of reports of ICE in downtown Indianapolis and Fishers, IN.
The walkouts occurred across several schools in Indiana including Brebeuf, Carmel, Greenfield-Central, Lawrence North, Park Tudor and Zionsville.
“We thought it was important to bring the walkout distinctly to North Central because compared to other schools, North Central is much more diverse. So we just wanted to represent all the students and make sure they all had a voice,” Akinleye said.
All walkouts were planned to happen at the same time, 1:39 p.m.. YDSA leaders also wanted to make sure that students didn’t feel pressured to participate if they didn’t want to.
“This is not a peer pressure type of thing, and we know that a lot of people don’t have the privilege to participate at all. It is very important for us to stand up for people that are at risk for that kind of thing,” Akinleye said.
YDSA leaders also stressed the importance of students knowing how to be safe around ICE agents if they come in contact with them.
“If you are any sort of minority, you should just try to avoid being seen by ICE because they will profile you, and they’ll take you,” Weaver said. “If you are someone who has privilege, if you are white, you should go up and record them. There is also a phone number that you can call to report ICE, and then there’s an action squad that comes and starts recording them and yelling at them.”
At North Central around 1,000 students participated in the walkout, clearing out many classrooms throughout the school.
At the protest, several students talked about what they had to say to ICE and their community specifically.
“Equality. For everybody in every way and always,” (grade) Bianca (last name) said.
Around one fourth of the NC student population participated in the walkout, but of the other three fourths of students, many had different reasons for not participating.
“I didn’t choose to participate because quite frankly it was really cold. I would have done it if it was more like in the summer,” freshman Ryleigh Adams said.
On the other hand, some students simply disagreed with the reason behind the walkout.
“I feel like the protest didn’t really change anything and it was kind of just like a waste of time. I just feel like a bunch of high schoolers protesting against ICE isn’t gonna solve the problem and it’s more something the government has to fix,” sophomore Joseph Simaren said.
NC administration worked to handle the walkout effectively and wanted to make sure that all students were safe while protesting.
“During any event at the school, safety is always our number one priority, so when we have big events like this we make sure to communicate as an admin team, we communicate with our Washington Township resource officers, with student leaders as much as possible so that we can have this as organized and as safe as possible for our students,” assistant principal in charge of security, operations, buildings and grounds, Nick Brewer said.
Students walked out of several different doors and continued to walk to the intersection of 86th and Westfield. Many held homemade signs, posters, and flags. One student dressed in an inflatable unicorn costume which stood out amidst a sea of puffer jackets, hats and gloves.
When students reached the intersection, they lined all sides of the roads. Some students piled people into their cars and parked in the parking lots of Chipotle, and the BP gas station.
When the crowd started blocking the road and stopping traffic, Indianapolis Police and NC resource officers pulled up to the intersection.
“I think the officers were helpful. That was one of my concerns going into it, of people thinking they were bad guys and something happening because of that. But they were just trying to help nobody get hurt,” senior Mary Frey, a student who attended the protest, said.
As the protest went on, many cars drove by and honked their horns with a nod of approval. One woman was so inspired by the protest she decided to join.
“This is not just an issue for the old people, for those who have been in protests and voting and this is the future. The future of America is brown and black and white and purple if it has to be. I am so excited for the youth, stepping out and speaking up, where the people who are too afraid to do it are sitting in their homes and are afraid of what could happen. These young people are saying, they’re looking maybe their fears in the face and saying that our future can not be one where we’re afraid to be who we are and who we have been created to be,” Karen, an Indianapolis local, said.
Other cars rolled by the protest while flipping students off, one even holding a sign saying “Kids don’t ‘no’ anything.”
Weaver, Bastnagel, and Akinleye held a megaphone, directing students and leading chants.
“I think that the leaders did a good job. I think it was kind of hard since there were just like so many people and it was such like a wide spread thing but I think they did a really good job,” sophomore Maya Stuteville said.
Students moved fluidly into the intersection at one point while chanting “ICE out!” Some stood on other participants’ cars in order to ramp up the crowd.
“The energy was high and I think it really gave a sense of community and I think that, like I felt like there was a lot of hope,” Stuteville said. “I was very proud of everyone that went and protested.”
On the other hand, some students thought that the turnout for the protest was impressive, but the coordination, once at the protest, was confusing and disorganized.
The protest lasted until 3:25 p.m. At that point, students began clearing out of the intersection and walking back to their cars or rides.
“I think the protest was very successful because we were able to get widespread coverage on various news networks including Mirror Indy, Indy Star, WFYI and a few others,” Bastnagel said. “I think that it really demonstrated solidarity with the entire North Central student community.”
Many considered the walkout to be a successful demonstration of protest. Students were kept safe overall, and their voices were heard.
“Nobody in the world is illegal and ICE is a terrorist organization,” Weaver said.
Following the walkout, YDSA leaders want to lead their community and fellow peers to further protest and understand the gravity of the situation at hand.
“We are in the process of planning with about 10 other schools an Indiana wide protest at the statehouse, details are still being worked on,” Akinleye said.
The walkout that occurred on Monday was rooted in the passion of the youth at not only North Central, but other high schools across the state. Student leaders like Weaver, Bastnagel, and Akinleye will continue to use their leadership positions to join students together against ICE.
“ICE is state sanctioned terror. It’s established because it keeps wages low and it keeps migrant voices, malleable labor silent. We need to oppose this and understand our own interests and fight for them,” Bastnagel said.
The walkout pointed out how division within our country is reflected throughout high schools as well.
“When the government turns its back on us we have to turn towards each other,” Weaver said.
