Gallery • 27 Photos

(Velez/LION)

Students line the steps of LT’s Vaughan building chanting and displaying their signs.

Tuesday, Feb. 17, after fifth period ended at approximately 12:23 p.m, students at both NC and SC walked out of their classes in protest of ICE activity. After students exited both buildings, they marched in groups to meet up near the intersection of Gilbert Avenue and Maple Avenue, where they continued walking down Maple.

Local police aided in blocking off streets with patrol cars to ensure residents were not driving near protesters. During this time, some community members left their homes and cheered on the demonstrators.

“I heard [the protesters] and came to see what [they were] doing, and I absolutely support what [they’re] doing to limit ICE authority and get [them] out of our state and leave us alone,” an onlooker who wished to remain anonymous said.

When the group of approximately 600 reached LaGrange Road, protesters turned to walk towards downtown LaGrange, crossed the train racks, and continued to the intersection of LaGrange Road and Ogden Avenue. At this time, protesters turned left and continued marching down Ogden and passed by Grace Lutheran Church. During this time, LION reporters talked to congregation members.

“I’m the pastor of Grace Lutheran Church, and our congregation has been supportive of an immigrant congregation and of a family of recently arrived immigrants,” Lead Pastor Heidi Torgerson said. “It’s an issue that’s really important to us because we love people who are being impacted by what’s going on in our administration. We also have a lot of high schoolers who attend LT, and we are so proud of the work that you all are doing today to speak up for what’s right.”

The protestors then turned left onto North Brainard Avenue until the group reached the steps of NC’s Vaughan building. LT staff maintained a distance from protesters but continued to monitor the situation. At this point in the demonstration, some protesters got into vehicles and drove by NC, displaying flags and signs and playing music. 

“We have to raise our voices for the people who can’t,” protester Emma Garcia ‘27 said. “We are fortunate, and we need to spread awareness [about] what is going on in this country, and we have to fix it.”

Garcia, although a member of the LION newspaper staff, was not acting as a reporter for the publication as she joined the demonstration.

Throughout the duration of the walk, there was chanting, cheering, music, and an atmosphere that grabbed the attention of people passing by or inside their homes. 

“It’s important that they do [this], that they take a stand,” a resident of LaGrange who wished to remain anonymous said. “It’s important that [students] are focusing on [their] future and that [if they] are not okay with something, then [they] fight because I know that it doesn’t seem like this is doing much, but we have the power in numbers. So the more people fight against this, the more we don’t stay quiet, and we push.”

The protest was followed by a few cars displaying their own signs, Mexican flags, and playing traditional Hispanic music. Once the group returned to LT, the music got louder, and a traditional Mexican dance broke out in the center of the group that was gathered on the staircase. 

“The importance of walking out today is to show that we do not stand for ICE and that we do not stand for unequalization and that we do not stand for hatred in America, especially in LaGrange,” protester Alina Chavez ‘28 said. 

At the beginning of eighth period, the group outside began their walk again and headed back to downtown LaGrange, where they gathered at LaGrange City Hall. This was the final location of the protest as the group began to fizzle out around 3 p.m. 

According to the weekly update email from Principal Jennifer Tyrrell, approximately 600 students walked out of class. LT does not support walkouts during class time, and students who participate would be reprimanded for cutting class, according to the disciplinary procedures outlined in the Student Handbook. 

Teodora Babic ‘26 said that on Thursday, Feb. 19, assistant principals began serving students who walked out, starting alphabetically, with two-hour detentions.