Photo of student protest taken by Sam Fraley ’27.
On Wednesday, January 21, South Salem High School held a walk out protest, supporting the “Free America,” cause. “Organizers created “Free America” to protest the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, (ICE,) raids that have taken place across the country. More prominently since Trump’s second term began. Many other protests objecting ICE’s raids around the country took place on the 20. Which was the one-year anniversary of President Donald Trump’s inauguration.
Walk-outs and protests took place across Oregon including the Salem-Keizer area, as well as across the nation. Major cities like Portland, Beaverton, Tigard, Sherwood, Bend, St. Helens, Albany and Roseburg.
The Origins of the Protests
Clark County School District, (CSCC,) in Las Vegas created the original protest. Which spread to South Salem High School, encouraging students to walk out at 10:30 during sixth period. Students at South Salem High School received this information through Instagram. The posters read “How far are they willing to go?” “People are scared. Children are scared.” “Is this the future we wanted?” “Are we great yet?” “It is time to speak up for those who can not. It is time to let the administration know that us, students, will not stand for the consistent power that ICE is abusing.”
“We are protesting the ICE establishment and its horrific consequences on America and its citizens. ICE is hauling off innocent people by the numbers in traumatic and inhumane ways. The administration is directly supporting it through coercion and force.” said Sam Fraley ‘27.
Along with wearing red and black, students joined together at the main entrance. Holding signs and chanting from 10:30 to 11:11. Students walked from the main entrance to the Salem Public Library, in an effort to encourage the community and the school to fight for their cause. In their congregation, students also used the protest to pay their respects to Renee Good. Three ICE agents shot and killed Renee Good, a mother of three from Minneapolis.
“Many people in this country are justifying these acts of oppression by saying that immigrants are murderers and rapists, but the only murderers and rapists I see on our streets are ICE themselves. We the youth, the future of this country have to stand up for what we believe in, we cannot stay silent and no matter what we cannot lose hope.” said Avery West ‘27.
