The Orange County Dare to Struggle chapter, together with students, held a walkout protest in front of the Cal State Fullerton Pollak Library on Monday speaking out against immigration enforcement and police brutality.
The demonstration is part of a nationwide strategy called “Spring Surge to Melt ICE,” which started on Feb. 13 with student walkouts throughout the country.
“We’re out here in the rain outside of the library to say, ICE out of OC,” said a member of the OC Dare to Struggle chapter, Connor Atwood. “To demand freedom for the ones who’ve been kidnapped.”
Dare to Struggle reported that around 60 schools and over 1500 students walked out on that Friday. During a community forum on Thursday, they reported that around 24 of those schools were from Los Angeles County.
The campaign has an organized timeline detailing events from February until May.
Starting with the student walkouts, their goal is to hold forums regarding protest repression, lead neighborhood speakouts to give voice to immigrants, cultural events and organized demonstrations.
“A lot of it was just regular students stepping up and organizing their classmates, which is really inspiring to see,” Atwood said, regarding the walkouts. “We’re working right now with students to form their own brand new organizations as well.”
In support of the students walkouts, Dare to Struggle coordinated the creation of “No Tenemos Miedo,” which they defined as “the call for all young people to unite behind into a coordinated, collective organization to stand against ICE.”
The slogan aims to support students who organize walkouts and political demonstrations while also building on the momentum of Friday’s protest, helping protect students who choose to protest.
The LA Times reported that some students from Redland schools, which had over 150 walkouts, are facing temporary suspensions from school sports and other activities, though California law allows a single absence a year for civic participation.