High school students from at least three high schools walked out of their classes and across town to voice their frustration with ICE in the wake of the fatal shooting in Minneapolis.
Amid chants and signs saying “Hate doesn't make America great” and “Abolish ICE” students from at least Centennial, Las Cruces, and Mayfield high schools marched across town picking up more students at each high school.
According to some of the marchers, students from Centennial met up with students at Las Cruces High School where they then walked down El Paseo and eventually made their way to Mayfield high school.
Local law enforcement accompanied the protesters during the walk.
According to police, while the protesters were at Albert Johnson Park, they reported a man in a black land rover pointing a gun at them. Police say that the suspect fled the scene. After a traffic stop, police learned that the man threw the gun out which turned out to be a BB gun. Police say that none of the protesters that they talked to wanted to press charges but the man was charged with obstructing and resisting.
Upon arriving at Mayfield, the group stopped and protested at the Hoagland and Valley intersection in front of the school where passing motorists showed their support and opposition.
In total, the protest reached a size of over 100 students.
One of the students, Centennial Sophomore Eduardo Benitez says that his journey started at A mountain after his mom dropped him off.
“We saw them walking down and she parked my at A mountain and I just got down and ran, I was running all the way until I saw my friends so that is another reason why everything hurts,” Benitez said.
Benitez said that he also wanted to bring more awareness to this issue that hits close to home for him.
“I’m Hispanic, most of my family is from Mexico, I’m actually the first generation to be in America so seeing all of this ICE stuff it’s really hurting me,” Benitez said.
The group of students mostly dispersed after stopping at Mayfield.
