According to Bear Witness estimates, about 300 students walked out of school after fourth period on Friday as part of a National General Strike against ICE action and to show solidarity with immigrant communities nationwide.

Participants walked out from the quad at 10:15 a.m. until they reached Branham Park, where protesting students formed a group and shouted chants containing expletives directed at ICE towards the street at passing cars. The protest continued until students began to walk back to class for fifth period.

ASB secretary Aesa Medower coordinated the walkout with other ASB executives on the @branhamwalkout2026 Instagram account in order to relay the message to other students.

“I honestly was not expecting as big of a turnout as we got, and I thought it was really amazing that we started planning this literally last night, and we got such a huge response from the community,” Medower said. “There were teachers supporting by coming out during brunch, and there were tons of students that came out with signs or just with their voices.”

The executive board felt the protest was necessary in order to give a voice to students who wanted to participate in the nationwide protest but were unable to due to their own circumstances.

“We took a lot of inspiration from [other local schools’] enthusiasm about the movement and stuff,” Medower said. “I really just wanted to give Branham students a way to express how they’re feeling about what’s going on in our community and in our country right now.”

Many students from Branham posted on social media the night prior in order to convince others to join the protest. Senior Reese Hickey decided she would join the protest after reading a post that asked whether viewers would “want to look back and say that you didn’t do anything.”

Many protestors shared a common notion that walkouts like these are important in creating impactful changes as teens who might not have as much power to involve themselves in politics.

“If you have a voice, use it,” Hickey said. “So many individuals are silenced in this country, and if you have privilege, use it.”