Hundreds of Benicia High School students walked out of class on Feb. 4 to protest the aggressive tactics employed by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement — in particular the killing of Minnesota resident Alex Pretti on Jan. 24.
The protest occurred five days after similar walkouts paralyzed schools across the Bay Area, from San Francisco to Oakland to Lafayette’s Acalanes High School, as thousands of students collectively voiced opposition to federal overreach in the Trump administration’s crackdown on immigrants.
In addition to students, parents and Benicia Unified School District staff participated in the walkout earlier this month calling for greater accountability.
“I’ve never been to a protest before, however I thought it was important to voice my opinion given the situation going on around this country,” said Benicia senior Alena Aranda.
“What is going on right now with ICE is incredible. We need to be more loving and have less hate towards others,” she said.
Just after 2 p.m., around 400 students wearing blue and carrying signs flooded out on to one of the busiest corners of downtown Benicia. Gathered together, they chanted and waved their signs as cars passing by honked horns to show support.
Senior Evan Magno, who held a sign reading, “I would never support ICE,” explained what inspired his message.
“I saw a TikTok of this, and I was like, I need to make that sign. So I saved it, and then last night I was like, I gotta make it — I’m gonna make this sign.”
Others joined with signs reading “Abolish Ice.“ One student, who wished to remain anonymous, said she was “very proud” of students’ efforts in collectively organizing the event.
The walkout, like many others around the Bay Area, was organized anonymously. Another student attendee, who also preferred to remain anonymous, explained that her “whole high school put this together.”
“I’m not sure who remained anonymous, but somebody formed an Instagram page and just started following a ton of people and just brought everybody together and organized,” she said.
Monitoring the walkout was DVC alum and current BUSD Superintendent Chris Calabrese.
“My preference would be students in classrooms. I don’t think you can duplicate that,” Calabrese said.
“But I understand that students have the right to protest. Sometimes those things conflict with one another and students have the right to organize.”
Calabrese clarified that his top priority was keeping students safe.
“I don’t want to see someone fall and get hit. Not everyone’s going to have the same opinion,” he added, “so I worry if it gets antagonistic.”
Parents in attendance also expressed support for the protest against ICE. One father, a Benicia High alum, said he “thought it would be interesting to come and see.”
Another parent, named Mo, who has a daughter in her sophomore year, said, “The main reason I’m here is, of course, supporting her and also being here for safety as well.”
According to ABC7 San Francisco, at least a dozen high schools around the East Bay participated in protests and walked out to voice opposition to U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement actions.