Armstrong students participated in an anti-ICE walk out on Friday, Jan. 30, in support of a National Shutdown and general strike. Organizers across the nation called for “No school, no work, no shopping,” pushing for an economic blackout to demonstrate opposition to the Trump administration and immigration enforcement’s recent actions.

At noon, students assembled near the edge of campus, facing the highly-trafficked Abercorn St. Participants waived signs and shouted chants like, “All power to the people, no human is illegal!,” “Down, down, with deportation, up, up, with liberation!” Students then gathered to listen to the words of the walk out’s organizer and first speaker, Tycen Tomms, an Armstrong student and member of the Party for Socialism and Liberation. 

“This isn’t a demand for someone else to act, this is a demand for us to act. We are students, we are not just the future, we are the gears of the system,” Tomms said.

Tomms opened the floor for anyone who felt inspired by the walk out to share their personal experiences and feelings, and multiple Armstrong students stepped forward to voice their thoughts.

“In moments it flashes where I realize I am living, we are all living, through a historical moment, and this historical moment is only driven through everyone who’s here, everyone who’s alive. Us communicating with each other. That’s what makes the difference that drives history,” said Gavin Johnson, an Armstrong student.

Another student on the Armstrong campus, Lizzie Floyd, said, “Seeing so many different people here, seeing so many people care, just reminds me that what’s needed now more than ever is solidarity, is community, is just a feeling of connection.”

The Party for Socialism and Liberation hosted another protest on Saturday, Jan. 31, continuing its demonstration of solidarity with the national shutdown