On Tuesday, Jan. 20, many Portland Public Schools students walked out of their classrooms to protest the actions of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Joining the lead of the national walkout, the event was set up as a peaceful public statement against ICE and the current U.S. administration.
IBW senior Sunny Press ran the social media account that was created to raise awareness about the walkout. “[The protest] has a real sense of community and purpose running through it. Everybody was looking out for each other… and everyone made their voice heard,” said Press. “It was just a nonviolent, motivated group of students who wanted to say their part… I hope that students will know that their words have power no matter their age, and that people are looking out for their rights.”
Press was part of the group of students who started planning the walkout after the ICE shootings in Portland, Minneapolis, and other cities this month. “I don’t think that peaceful protesting is the absolute best solution to the corruption and hatred in our government. I believe it can be a powerful tool that can get people involved with their communities and educate the public about a cause, but from what I have seen around the world recently, real change either comes from the top down or from violent streets upwards,” said Press. “[I think] we need to pair our voices with our actions. For me, that means getting involved with your community.”
The Jan. 20 walkouts took place nationwide to speak out against the Trump administration. Taking place on the anniversary of Trump’s second presidential inauguration, this form of activism was organized across the country as millions of people protested in a non-violent way. Known as the “Free America Walkout,” it was created partly in response to the shooting of Renee Good earlier this year in Minneapolis, which is one of the more publicized recent violent acts committed by ICE.
The main organizer of the national walkout was the Women’s March, the organization that also created the Women’s Rights March in 2017, which included millions from around the world. The Free America Walkout was one of the largest forms of protest since the No Kings Protests in June and October of 2025.
“Minnesotans walked out today,” said the Women’s March in a statement on X. “In the face of weeks of dehumanizing rhetoric by the right. In the face of weeks of violent and unlawful attacks by ICE agents. In the aftermath of the tragic murder of Renee Good. They organize. They fight back. They walk out.” They posted about and filmed the marches in many other cities, demonstrating the national effect of the walkout.
PPS students specifically chose to take part in this week’s protest, deciding on a multi-stop route and meeting point for anyone who wanted to join. A huge crowd turned out for the event, beginning at the Pioneer Courthouse Square at 2:00 p.. Mass amounts of students took public transportation to join other PPS schools and walked for over two hours in 40-degree weather. The march route was from Pioneer Courthouse Square to the Portland City Hall a few blocks away, to the Justice Center, then back to the City Hall and the original starting point.
Throughout the course of the route, the leaders of the march shouted out chants and call-and-responses such as “No hate! No fear! Immigrants are welcome here!,” “This is what democracy looks like!”, and “Hey hey! Ho ho! Donald Trump has got to go!” They also cheered on and encouraged the crowd with speeches about freedom of speech and rights between stops. Students held hand-made signs with peaceful messages and puns against ICE. When the march paused in front of the City Hall and the Justice Center, the crowd chanted louder and called out about their freedom to make sure that Portland’s government got the message peacefully.
After the marchers arrived back at Pioneer Courthouse Square, dozens of students made short, mostly impromptu speeches degrading ICE, Donald Trump, and many terrorizing actions of our country’s government.
One student read out Martin Niemöller’s famous quote, “First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.” They encouraged the crowd to fight for their rights and to not stand by while injustice took place all over the country.
“One year into Trump’s second regime, we face an escalating fascist threat: ICE raids on our communities, troops occupying our cities, families torn apart, attacks on our trans siblings, mass surveillance, and terror used to keep us silent. It is time for our communities to escalate as well,” said the Women’s March on their website. “This is not a request. This is a rupture. This is a protest and a promise. In the face of fascism, we will be ungovernable.”
The Women’s March organization’s next plan of action is the Free America: What Comes Next Mass Call, which will take place on Jan. 22 at 4:30 Pacific Standard Time.
