Students protest ICE in San Mateo

In San Mateo, students largely dressed in black and held protest signs, trekking from eight different campuses to gather in Central Park Friday afternoon. After everyone arrived, students and supporters stood along El Camino Real for heightened visibility, rallying cars to honk and cheer through their windows. 

Students gathered in Central Park en masse from Aragon, Burlingame, Capuchino, Hillsdale, San Mateo high schools, The Nueva School, and even students from nearby Abbott and Borel middle schools. 

For Brianna Hafiz, one of the lead organizers at Hillsdale High School, the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, who were shot and killed by federal agents in Minneapolis in recent weeks, undoubtedly served as a catalyst for collection action, but they are not the only reason. 

“This has been coming for a while, it’s not the whole reason we’ve done this,” Hafiz said. “This is also about the families that were separated, the people sent to Alligator Alcatraz and went missing. The two deaths that were widely publicized are just two of many.” 

Hafiz and fellow Hillsdale High School organizer Emma Sevilla said they were planning on coordinating a walkout just for their own campus, but after seeing similar efforts underway at San Mateo and Aragon high schools, campus leaders decided to join together.

“It would be so great if we showed this unified group effort to oppose ICE’s actions,” Hafiz said. “It’s surreal, I didn’t expect this much attention to be garnered from it.”  

Once students left the park and made their presence known on El Camino Real, San Mateo High School sophomores and friends Shauny, Maya and Noel, stood on one corner holding their own signs. 

For Shauny, the cause hits close to home; her uncle was recently deported — and Maya was opposed to mistreatment because of someone’s race. Noel joined to support her Latina friends and stand in solidarity.  

While students risked being marked absent from their classes for walking out, districts allow for a one-day excused absence to attend a civic or political event if the school is given notification. 

Still, the intent to risk some level of punishment to show support is a worthy cause, Hafiz said. 

“Families are experiencing fear every single day,” Hafiz said. “By walking out, we’re only experiencing a fraction of what they’re experiencing. It means a lot that we have a big community that is willing to experience that and have that empathy.” 

School staff were welcome to participate in the walkout, but were asked to do so as private citizens, rather than employees. Other administrators, including school principals, joined protesters to ensure safety and be on scene in their professional capacity. 

On scene in San Mateo included county staff, councilmembers and representatives from the San Mateo County Office of Education. Trustees from the San Mateo-Foster City School District joined parents of high schoolers to pass out water and fruit to students. Many said they were there both in solidarity with the protest and as officials to make sure the kids stayed safe. 

In a thank you to district leaders, SM-FCSD Superintendent Diego Ochoa thanked staff who attended the protest as well as those who stayed behind and continued to teach their courses. 

“Days like today showcase that identity, belonging, advocacy and democratic participation are all inextricably linked to public education,” Ochoa said in an email to staff. 

The student walkouts correlated with a nationwide general strike protesting ICE for which a number of businesses throughout the Bay Area closed. Those participating in the strike didn’t go to work or school, and didn’t purchase anything. 

Walkouts were also organized at El Camino High School and South San Francisco High School. Students walked out Friday morning in protest and gathered at the new South San Francisco Public Library. Many students from the Sequoia Union High School District gathered at County Center Friday afternoon as well. 

To Sevilla, the protests serve as an affirmation of support for the immigrant community throughout the county, and an assurance that young students are paying attention.

“I hope it shows there are students that care a lot and that want to step up,” Sevilla said. “I hope they realize there’s a community that wants to help.”