LOS ALAMITOS, Calif. – When the bell rang to end second period on Wednesday, Feb. 11, instead of heading towards their next class, hundreds of Los Alamitos High School students, clad in white and clutching flags and posters, exited the campus through the front gates as part of a walkout demonstration in response to the recent violent events associated with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. This walkout was entirely student-organized, with many parents and community members also participating and chaperoning the students as they marched.

“We wanted to bring the injustices happening to our very own people to light,” said student Elias Cerrillo, one of the main walkout organizers. “A lot of students don’t speak up against ICE because they’re scared of what people might do or say to them, so we wanted to provide a space for them to use their voice for what they believe in.”

The walkout and student participation

The “Los Al Walkout” was first announced through the @losal_walkout Instagram account, which was run by the students who organized the protest. The account’s first post, published on Feb. 4, explained the students’ reasons and motives for walking out. This was then followed by another post with details of the protest’s date, time, and location. Over the next few days, the account continued to post information about students’ protesting rights, safety tips and protest etiquette rules.

The account specifically cited multiple legal rights, including the Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Amendments, as well as California Senate Bill 955, which states that students are permitted to be excused from school to participate in “a civic or political event” for one day of each school year, if the student notifies the school ahead of time. 

Around 10:30 a.m., students gathered at the front of the school on the sidewalk, ready to begin their march. The walkout organizers gave opening statements on their reasons for protesting, handed out pamphlets with printed chants and reminded students of the protest rules. Then, the group of approximately three hundred students and community members began their march down Los Alamitos Blvd.; despite the light morning traffic, the protesters had already begun to receive support from the surrounding community with honking horns and cheers.

Protesters carried handmade signs and posters with phrases like “I like my ICE crushed,” “Educación, no deportación” (“Education, not deportation”) and “Brown and proud.” Students also wore Mexican flags around their shoulders or brandished them with flag poles above the crowd. Additionally, protesters also showcased messages calling out the Trump administration and ICE with phrases like “Hate won’t make America great” and other slogans. 

After marching about a mile, they entered the parking lot of the Los Alamitos City Hall. For nearly an hour, the group congregated as students gave speeches, personal testimonies, held a moment of silence and also read aloud the names of those who were either killed in ICE attacks or died in an ICE detention center across the United States.

“Thank you for coming here today, not only to honor these lives, but to foster change and community within ourselves and the people around us. I’m so grateful I can stand here to witness and participate in this beautiful way of change within our own community. We will not stop fighting until we feel comfortable representing a city that actually represents us,” said senior Lucy Rios, one of the student leaders, during an opening announcement.

The group then spread out to cover both sides of Katella Avenue, chanting and rallying as cars honked their horns in support. Throughout the protesting, the energy was palpable, with music, cowbells, vuvuzelas, drums and shouting drowning out every other noise around. 

For many of the student protesters, the walkout was personal. Sophomore Sebastian Martinez, who photographed the event, explained his connection with the event and the impact he hoped to have on its success.

“This is a very powerful movement. I mean, my dad is an immigrant, and he came here hoping for a better life, and this is a very special moment, because (in) this community (…) there’s been a lot of prejudice around here, but I appreciate the amount of people who have come out and supported us,” Martinez said. “My grandma, she’s the one who got me into (photography) and she’s an immigrant, and so I really just want to use my creativity as my voice and show my support for this movement.”

Gathering back together around 12:30 p.m., the protesters took another moment of silence for all the victims of ICE violence, a stark contrast to the hours of chanting for their cause. Before marching back to the school, the organizers said their closing remarks, thanking everyone for their support throughout the process.

“I believe this walkout has built a community and has positively impacted hundreds. It has also impacted the cause that we fight. Silence is violence and we certainly weren’t silent,” said LAHS senior Ryder Watson, one of the protest coordinators, over text. “I’ve never felt so proud to be a part of something. The fact that we brought this to life from nothing shows the power that students hold.”

School administration and community responses

The support of the Los Alamitos administration team was also a contributing factor to the success of the event. In an email written by Principal Kraus on behalf of LAHS, a post-walkout message was sent to parents on Wednesday afternoon, updating them that the demonstration had proceeded smoothly and students had safely returned back to campus.

“Los Alamitos High School, along with the Los Alamitos Unified School District, respects the rights of students to peacefully express their opinions and beliefs, while remaining focused on ensuring a safe, neutral, and supportive learning environment. If any such activity occurs, clear plans and procedures are in place to prioritize student safety,” the email stated.

Many local parent volunteers also expressed their stance on the situation by participating in the walkout; parents carried wagons full of water bottles and snacks for the students, and also chaperoned the group by directing them through crosswalks.

“I couldn’t be more proud of my daughter and the students who chose to raise their voices peacefully. Seeing these students engage thoughtfully and peacefully in an issue they care about reminds me why I believe so strongly in this generation. Their peaceful, respectful protest showed maturity, empathy, and a powerful understanding of their rights and responsibilities as citizens,” said Allison Haller, parent of an LAHS sophomore.

However, other parents and community members expressed their opposition to the LAHS protest in online statements, with many stating that the walkout was not the right approach to the situation.

“Both my grandparents and my great-grandparents came into this country doing it legally. My mom remained a Canadian citizen and got her green card renewed every time it was required. I just can’t understand why people can’t just follow the laws in our country,” said community member Christina Purvis on Nextdoor.

Some students chose not to participate, and here’s why

With around 10% of the school’s population participating in the walkout, a solid majority of LAHS students remained in school due to reasons such as parental restrictions, belief that the protest wouldn’t accomplish anything in the long run and other factors.

“I’m staying back because, (I’m) personally, I’m not allowed to go protest,” said sophomore Jazlynn Acosta. “However, I do support the voices of the kids who can, and they’re going out, protesting for what they believe is right. Wherever they go, I just hope when they leave campus that they’re safe.” 

Senior Noah Igo had a different perspective, explaining his opinion on the actual influence of the event. He believed that, even if the walkout had a large attendance, he did not think it would have a significant enough impact, considering the bigger issue at hand.

“My opinion on (the whole movement) is it’s a delicate situation. I do feel like an unregulated amount of people coming across the border will significantly impact the economy, but also at the same time, ICE should not be splitting up families and creating panic among the nation, so I feel like there should be another option that the government could explore,” he said. 

Starting a conversation: Griffins move forward after the walkout

With mixed reactions from both students and the community, the walkout undoubtedly started a conversation of addressing the current issues of Los Alamitos. Still, the fact that this protest was entirely student-organized proves that the youth of America hold the future in their hands. 

Correction: An earlier version of this article misspelled Elias Cerrillo’s name. This was corrected on Feb. 13 at 8:50 p.m.