NYU student walkout demands ICE out of New York
New York, NY – Over 150 students from across the city gathered in Washington Square Park to demand ICE get out. The citywide walkout was organized by Get Free NYC, with the NYU Students for a Democratic Society helping to organize NYU students for the walkout.
NYU students gathered at the Kimmel Center first floor steps at around 11 a.m. to prepare for the walkout. The steps are a historic protest location at NYU, with many protests taking place on them throughout the past few decades. However, half of the steps were closed down in October 2023 in response to Palestinian liberation protests taking place there. The steps then underwent construction for over two years before finally unveiling new seating pods for students and the glass doors in front of the steps no longer being see-through. The construction served as a way to deter students from protesting, but it did not stop organizers from starting the walkout at this location.
At around 11:20, students held up signs reading, “ICE is the modern day fugitive slave patrol” and “We refuse to be silent.” Afterwards, students marched outside of Kimmel Center chanting “One -we are the students! Two – we won’t stop fighting! Three – ICE out our cities! Now! Now! Now! Now!” and “No ICE! No KKK! No racist USA!” Students marched towards the Washington Square Arch.
Students chanted “How do you spell terrorist? I-C-E” and “No ICE! No Wall! Legalization for all!” as more students from around the city continued to gather at the location of the protest. Dozens of journalists took photos of the rally.
JJ Briscoe, an organizer with Get Free NYC, opened up the rally. He highlighted the brutality of ICE, detaining and deporting millions of people from the country, separating families and murdering innocent people.
Zaara Ahmed, an organizer with the NYU Students for a Democratic Society, then spoke to the necessity of getting organized to fight back against ICE. She states that it is not enough to come out just for this rally but to continue coming out and to continue organizing.