Thousands of young people walked out of school Friday, filling the streets of Watsonville and Santa Cruz to protest recent violent incidents involving federal immigration officials.
The walkouts were part of similar protests throughout the United States, a largely student-led movement opposing the hardline immigration crackdown by the Trump administration.
“I feel great,” said Pajaro Valley High School senior Leila Rodriguez Gonzalez, who said hundreds of her peers from Watsonville and Pajaro Valley high schools joined the protest in downtown Watsonville.
“A lot of people walked out. They didn’t care if they would get in trouble,” she said. “It’s our right to protest, and since we have freedom of speech, we are using that. We’re trying to stand up for those who can’t.”
In Watsonville, more than 150 students walked out of class and marched from the Pajaro Valley High School campus to downtown Watsonville, waving “NO ICE” and other homemade signs as they chanted “Sí se puede,” Spanish for “Yes, we can.”
Guided by about a half-dozen Brown Beret members, the crowd crossed the Highway 1 overcrossing, traveled up South Green Valley Road and headed south on Main Street, drawing honks from passing motorists and thumbs-up gestures from open windows just before noon.
As the marchers reached Main Street downtown, they moved into the southbound lanes and blocked traffic under the watch of about six Watsonville police cars and motorcycles.
At Watsonville Plaza, they were greeted by about three dozen Watsonville High and Ceiba Prep students protesting along Main Street.
Holding signs reading “Can’t Spell Cowardice Without ICE,” “Fight Ignorance, Not Immigrants,” and “ICE Is American Gestapo,” the students continued protesting for more than two hours in front of busy Friday afternoon traffic.
“I’m out here because I’m a Brown Beret from the Watsonville chapter,” said Foxy One Feather. “I’m here in support of all the young ones who want to come out and assert their rights and tell everyone in the community that ICE is not welcome here.”
Brandon Stone, a junior at Pajaro Valley High, said he joined the march “to help stop ICE.”
“You can see and hear there are a lot of students who want to help stop ICE,” he said. “We’re taking this seriously.”
Watsonville High freshman Victoria Atilano said the protests extended beyond Watsonville.
“We are not alone today; every district around here is out protesting ICE,” she said. “We are here to speak up for those who can’t. A lot of people are very frightened.”
In Santa Cruz, thousands of students from several schools gathered at the Town Clock before marching to the county courthouse, where they waved protest signs, chanted and danced.
Ruby Muse-Lerner, a junior at Georgiana Bruce Kirby Preparatory School, said the school closed its doors in solidarity with the student walkout.
Muse-Lerner said she organized the event with her friend Amara Clayton, a senior at the school.
After using social media to publicize the protest, they weren’t sure whether anyone would show up.
Both said they were in tears when they saw hundreds of their peers gathering at the Town Clock.
“It happened, and it’s absolutely insane,” Muse-Lerner said. “We never expected this big of an outcome. It really just shows what democracy can look like when a bunch of young people come together.”
Muse-Lerner said mass deportations affect the entire community, even those not directly impacted.
“Just because it doesn’t affect us, just because we are not going to be deported, does not mean that we are not angry,” she said.
Clayton agreed.
“It’s very important to show up, because you never know when it could come here,” she said. “It’s terrifying that everybody is being affected by this.”
Earlier that day, hundreds of nurses gathered along Soquel Drive to protest the Jan. 24 killing of ICU nurse Alex Pretti in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Emergency Department nurse Lauren Bailey said she and her colleagues have experienced fear, frustration and anger over recent national events.
“That hit a pinnacle when Pretti was killed,” she said.
Bailey said she posted on social media that she planned to protest Friday. Five days later, hundreds showed up.
“I’m so moved,” she said. “I can’t believe it.”
Bailey said the actions of federal officials enforcing Trump’s immigration agenda are antithetical to her profession, pointing to the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act, a 1986 law requiring hospitals to provide care to anyone who needs it.
“ICE is the furthest thing from nursing that you could possibly imagine,” she said. “We are here to do no harm.”
Rebecca Horan, a blood and marrow transplant nurse at Stanford Medical Center, said nurses are tasked with caring for patients ethically.
“The death of one of our own is an example of the overreach of our government,” she said. “As nurses, we are beholden to make sure people are safe and cared for. And right now, that is not what’s happening.”
