“No fear! No hate! No ICE in our state!”
Those chants carried from the Groves football field and across 13 Mile on the morning of Friday, Jan. 30, as Groves students marched to protest U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement amid what organizers and participants described as a recent surge in deportations and acts of violence. The approximately 4-mile round trip started at Groves High School and ended at local grocery store Market Fresh. Many students held signs with sayings such as “Melt ICE” and “ICE melts under resistance.”
This demonstration appears to be organized by user zev_loboz on Instagram, in which they posted “ICE OUT; Groves stands with justice,” followed by the details of the event.
This post quickly reached Groves’ principle Othamian Peterson, in which he advised students via email of the consequences of participating. He stated that regular attendance rules still apply, and Seniors who are exempt from second-semester final exams may become ineligible for that exemption.
Nonetheless, the email stated, “At Groves High School, we value student voice and encourage students to stay informed… (these) are important parts of learning and growth.
Our intent is not to discipline or penalize students. Our primary goal is to ensure student safety — physically, emotionally, and socially — and to know where all students are during the school day.”
This email did not deter roughly 40 students from participating in the event.
Lila Gouttebel, a Junior who participated in the demonstration, said, “It was a beautiful experience… even though it was small, it felt big when everyone came together to do something impactful.” As an immigrant herself, Gouttebel has been passionate about the issue. “They went from disliking immigrants to people of color,” Gouttebel said.
Many students were in support of the protest but couldn’t attend for several reasons.
Senior Sofiia Molokova stated, “As an immigrant, I wanted to participate. It’s a good thing kids are not silenced, even though we’re high school students. But I was scared because of potential police presence and being in danger of getting deported.”
Junior Aiden Marshel: “I’m in support of the protest; if it wasn’t so cold, I would have gone.” This sentiment was shared by many students, as the “feels like” temperature that morning dropped to negative four.
Of course, because of Grove’s diverse student population, we all vary in opinion. Many students are in support of ICE. Some students stated they believed it was stupid and would not impact the country. Others were confused about what Trump had to do with the matter.
Students weren’t the only ones with something to say in the building. Advanced Placement (AP) United States History teacher Geoffery Wickersham stated, “I understand why they are doing this. They were arresting parents at bus stops in Ypsilanti, Michigan. I can’t imagine being a kid and seeing that; that’s horrifying.” Even so, Wickersham states, “I think it’s unrealistic to ask kids to walk miles and back in this weather.”
AP Economics teacher Hunter Janness stated, “I admire students recognizing what they don’t like and taking serious steps to show that. In order to truly protest, it shouldn’t be convenient for either side.”
This discourse continued online; WXYZ Detroit reported and posted an Instagram Reel on the matter, and Groves students were met with mixed opinions. Commenters stated: “Future fast food workers of America,” “Headline: ‘Students jump on the opportunity to ditch class’” as well as “It’s never been easier to be a teenager in America. You can ditch school and act like you’re doing something righteous or important.” This was just the half of it; many comments continue to push back by calling them “ignorant” and “illiterate,” and questioning the impact they actually have.
Despite the copious amounts of hate, many still praised the students. Commenters stated: “These young people are the future of OUR COUNTRY… and THEIRS!!! They will not surrender their freedom and democracy and that of their future families… We should all be so proud of the future leaders of our country!” Another said, “That’s my district, I am so proud of you guys! Right to fight. Never accept evil.”
This protest raises many questions about American democracy. How do small protests contribute to systemic change? Do they make an impact? How will ICE affect Michigan? Hopefully, this protest at Groves will help contribute to more discussions in our community.
