The January 20th Ice Walkout at ARCC

On January 20th, students at Anoka Ramsey Community College participated in a national walk out to protest the escalating presence of ICE, or Immigration &Custom Enforcement, officers in our state and country. Despite bone chilling temperatures a crowd of 50 braved the cold to show support for their terrorized community following the shooting of Renee Good in Minneapolis and the ongoing Operation Metro Surge.

At 1:51PM 28 students gathered at the bulge where they prepared for the 2PM walk out. It was 9 degrees outside but felt like -3. There was a table full of handwarmers and supplies to make signs with student members of the Queer Trans Union happy to help. Though none of these students would consider themselves community organizers, when members of the QTU learned about the nationwide walkout proposed for January 20th and realized ARCC didn’t have anything planned they jumped into action.

By 2:02PM the group has grown to just over 50 people. The walk out begins with a member of QTU announcing a few guidelines to keep everyone safe. QTU worked with the Office of Public Safety on campus to ensure students would be supported throughout their demonstration in exchange the protest remained outdoors, nonpartisan, and nonviolent.

The crowd was overall in good spirits with plenty of chanting, cheering, and laughter. Although many discussed fears or anger in regards to ICEs occupation of Minnesota, there was a feeling of euphoric relief in the air as people joined together to take action.

The protestors are in a high traffic corner of the ARCC C. Rapids campus but not impeding traffic. Periodically as a car or truck passes they honk in support of the demonstration, usually a rhythmic beep-beep-beep to draw the crowd’s eye to the people inside the vehicle who can be seen fist pumping or giving a thumbs up or dancing in their seat leading the crowd to cheer back, reenergized out of whatever lull they may have been falling into. In this way, the energy level maintains an electricity for nearly an hour.

At 2:57PM the crowd has dwindled to 17, still a sizeable turn out for an hour out in the brutal elements, and the traditional Minnesota goodbyes begin. Before everyone “you get home safe now” ‘s each other, names and numbers are exchanged and group chats are formed.

The demonstration may be over, but the social connections and support networks formed at it and other events all over our community are one of our most meaningful tools as we look forward.