Students in New York City walked out of classrooms early Tuesday to protest President Donald Trump, his immigration ban, and his decisions on higher education—most notably, the Senate’s very recent confirmation of Betsy DeVos as education secretary.
Student walkout in NYC near Foley Square to protest Trump, DeVos, etc https://t.co/BuOUV3ENSO
— Tim 🕊 𓅃 🌿 𓅪 🐊 𓆏 (@timtakestime) February 7, 2017
With painted signs and popular chants, high school and college students rallied at Foley Square in lower Manhattan around noon, denouncing Trump’s decisions against banning immigrants from seven Muslim-majority countries. The protest, organized by 17-year-old Hebh Jamal, according to the event page, happened to coincide with Vice President Mike Pence casting a tie-breaking Senate vote to confirm DeVos, a billionaire Republican donor who has never attended public school and lacks the experience to lead America’s public education system.
.@cveiga on #Periscope: NYC students walk out to protest Trump https://t.co/W4F7S8nhgt
— 🌴Librarians Are Rad🌴 (@RatherBeGulfing) February 7, 2017
“Even though there was a temporary halt on the Muslim ban, we must remain vigilant,” the protest’s Facebook event page reads. “Focus on the next issue. Focus on the injustice that went unnoticed.”
Led by a group of rotating speakers, the crowd of hundreds participated in call-and-response chants before marching to 26 Federal Plaza, according to amNewYork. Speakers included 23-year-old Kashish Shamsi, who sang her protest anthem “Stronger Together.”
“Daily life cannot just continue as is, when others are suffering,” 17-year-old Selam Murphy, an immigrant and Hell’s Kitchen-area high school student, told amNewYork.
Our youth will save us. NYC #StudentStrike brings out over 1000 to protest Trump's #MuslimBan. #NoBanNoWall pic.twitter.com/lYcKijwISf
— Faiza N. Ali (@faiza_n_ali) February 7, 2017
100s of #NYC students walk out of schools and converge at #FoleySquare to protest Trump's executive orders #MuslimBan #NoBanNoWall #OurNY pic.twitter.com/Bvhp7UDKrX
— New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC) (@thenyic) February 7, 2017
https://twitter.com/RobertaUCEFIT/status/829025081913442304
Hundreds of NYC students stage midday walkout to protest #Trump exec orders & newly confirmed Sec of Education #DeVos in Foley Sq. @thenyic pic.twitter.com/BBvSpAweH0
— Ramón Cuauhtémoc Taylor (@ramonctaylor) February 7, 2017
Watch more live stream footage from the protest here.