SANTA MONICA—Hundreds of Santa Monica High School students staged a walkout on Thursday, February 6, 2025, marching to City Hall in protest of President Donald Trump’s immigration policies. The demonstration was part of a larger movement of student-led walkouts across Southern California, now in its fifth consecutive day.
At noon, students poured through the school gates, carrying signs and chanting in opposition to deportations and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) actions. The protest was organized in response to concerns over family separations, migrant detentions, and policies that activists say disproportionately target marginalized communities.
Social media played a key role in mobilizing students, with posts encouraging participation in both off-campus marches and on-campus demonstrations. Some students occupied school hallways in a show of solidarity, while others joined the march through Santa Monica streets.
At City Hall, student speakers took turns addressing the crowd, amplifying their demands for justice.
“Seeking safety is a human right—no human being is illegal!” one protester declared to a chorus of cheers.
Another student emphasized the broader implications of the administration’s policies: “They are gutting our education, erasing our history, and stripping away our rights. If we don’t act now, what future will be left for us?”
Protesters also linked immigration policies to wider social issues, including LGBTQ+ rights, climate change, and economic inequality.
“Democracy is not set in stone—it’s a flame passed down from generation to generation. And we will not let that flame go out,” a student speaker urged.
The demonstration joined a wave of similar protests in Los Angeles, Van Nuys, and other cities, as young people continue to mobilize against policies they describe as “a system built on fear, racism, and power.”
The Santa Monica walkout is one of many unfolding across the nation, underscoring a growing movement of youth activism demanding systemic change.