A permit for the protest said around 700 demonstrators were expected. Students from several Sacramento schools showed up.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Hundreds of students from campuses across Sacramento gathered Friday at the California State Capitol to protest immigration enforcement and call for changes.
The demonstration began late in the morning, as students arrived with backpacks still on their shoulders and signs in their hands. A permit for the protest ran from 11:15 a.m. to 2 p.m. and estimated about 700 protesters. While an exact count was not available, the crowd grew to at least several hundred students at its peak.
“We just got out here about ten minutes ago,” said Colby Pike, a student protester who said he and others left school at the end of first period.
By noon, what started as smaller groups had grown into a large crowd filling the Capitol grounds. Students chanted and held signs as they made their message clear.
“I’m amazed by the turnout. I thought it was going to be less than this,” said Termir Knox, a student protester. “I’m glad that some kids are out here.”
Knox said he and his classmates traveled from John F. Kennedy High School by light rail and bus to attend the protest.
“Pretty packed light rail, pretty packed bus, but we got here, and we’re here, and we’re going to protest,” Knox said.
Students said their concerns go beyond missing class time.
“We’re sick of our people getting killed in the street. We are sick of people getting detained for being American citizens. We want justice, and we want it now,” said Letticcia Cummings, a student protester.
“Killing citizens without a right to, it’s just unnecessary, and we as a country need to communicate a more humane message,” said Ella Shaw, another student protester.
According to protest organizers, the demonstration called for the abolition of ICE and for Sacramento City Council members to reaffirm the city’s sanctuary city status.
“They’re killing families, they’re taking families. It’s not good,” Pike said, adding that the protest was peaceful. “We’re being peaceful. Holding our signs. We’re not throwing stuff, not doing anything bad.”
California Highway Patrol officers and Sacramento police were on standby during the event. At one point, demonstrators marched from the Capitol to the John Moss Federal Building before returning. Some streets were closed temporarily, but there were no reports of violence.
In a statement, Sacramento City Unified School District said it supports students exercising their First Amendment rights. The district added that while the protest was described as a “district-wide event,” it was not organized or endorsed by the district, and students who participated were marked absent.
The district said parents will need to contact their schools regarding student absences related to the protest.
“We should be able to come out here and protest because that’s our First Amendment right,” Knox said. “I love to see kids out here advocating for themselves.”
As the crowds began to thin later in the afternoon, some students reflected on the impact of the day.
“It’s very powerful,” Cummings said. “It shows that we have a voice and we’re going to use our voice and if we don’t see something that’s right, we’re going to stand up for it.”
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