“No more hate”: Students walk out after first bell to protest ICE in Park City

Students from Ecker Hill Middle School march during a student-led protest opposing Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Friday morning, shortly after the first advisory bell in Park City. Photo: Rebecca Brenner

PARK CITY, Utah — Students in the Park City School District staged a student-led protest Friday morning opposing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement after the first advisory bell.

A person who identified themselves as connected to the student organizers, who requested anonymity to protect their privacy, said the protest was intended to express student opposition to ICE and to send a message that the agency should stay out of the Park City community. The source said students from Park City High School and Ecker Hill Middle School participated, and the protest would run from about 8:50 a.m. to about 12:30 p.m.

The anonymous source said teachers were not involved in organizing or participating in the event and remained in their classrooms teaching during the school day.

Ahead of the protest, district officials emailed students and families saying the district had received information about a potential student protest related to immigration enforcement that could occur at its secondary schools.

“This activity is not school-sponsored or school-sanctioned,” the district wrote, adding that teachers would remain in classrooms and continue instruction as scheduled and that no student was encouraged or directed by the district or staff to participate.

The district said students who chose to leave class or walk out during the school day would be marked absent and would be responsible for making up missed work under attendance and grading policies.

While the district said it respected students’ rights to peaceful expression, it emphasized that because the activity was expected to occur on school property, school rules would remain in effect. The district said “derogatory, threatening, or inappropriate language” would not be permitted, and noted that profanity or vulgar language on campus violates the district’s Safe Schools Policy.

“Students will not be prevented from engaging in peaceful protest; however, maintaining a safe, respectful learning environment remains our priority,” the district wrote. The message added that school administration and law enforcement would be present to support student safety and ensure the event remained peaceful and secure.

The Park City walkout came amid a broader wave of student protests across Utah and the country in recent days opposing immigration enforcement. Similar student-led demonstrations have taken place at other Utah secondary schools and in Salt Lake City, reflecting growing youth activism around immigration policy and enforcement practices.

For the Park City student organizers, the anonymous source said the walkout was rooted in local concerns as well as national immigration debates — and was meant to make clear, in their words, that they do not want immigration enforcement in their community.