Dozens of students at West Port High School gathered to protest the immigration enforcement policies of President Donald Trump and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) last week.
The protest occurred on Friday, February 6, at the school, which is located at 3733 SW 80th Avenue in Ocala. According to a participant statement, the demonstration began on the west side of the school building and moved into the hallways before turning toward the cafeteria and expanding on the east side of campus.
As the gathering grew, some students reportedly chose to leave school grounds, while others tossed items at law enforcement, according to the participant.
According to the district, as the protest continued, other students began throwing items and food. As a result, the school principal reportedly informed students that “Alpha time,” which is a scheduled 50-minute break typically used for lunch and student activities, would be revoked.
The student action follows a month of demonstrations in January, including gatherings on Jan. 17 and Jan. 25.
Although the demonstrations were part of the “No Kings” series of protests that have taken place regularly since President Trump took office for his second term, last month’s events were sparked, in part, by two ICE-involved shootings that resulted in the deaths of Renee Good on Jan. 7 and Alex Pretti on Jan. 24.
Last month, the organizers of the “No Kings” protests announced upcoming dates for the next events: Saturday, February 21, from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. at the Historic Downtown Square in downtown Ocala, and Saturday, March 28, at the same time and place.
Did you attend the protest at West Port High School or another high school in your area? Share your experiences and news of upcoming events by contacting us.
EDITOR’S NOTE: A previous version of this story reported that the revocation of “Alpha Time” was a result of the actions of the protestors. The story was amended after Marion County Public Schools reached out to provide clarification.