Walk Out for ICE Out - High School walkout protesting ICE - Sept 04 2026
“Walk Out for ICE Out” - Friday, Sept. 4, 2026, at La Alma-Lincoln Park in Denver
On Friday September 04 2026; Students from over 200 Colorado Schools participated in a state wide walk-out.
They were protesting ICE, federal immigration enforcement policies, and the impact that ICE and their policies are having on immigrant families and school communities in Colorado.
The Youth Coalition, including co-founder Bre Kennedy, a 16 year old student at Grandview High in Aurora Colorado, organized the event. Taking it from an online idea to a statewide movement.
Using social media and school networks, she grew the protest to more than 200 schools across Colorado.
By midday: hundreds of students gathered in protest at La Alma Park in Denver. With some walking miles, or catching busses to participate in the event.
The students say that ICE is separating families, frightening the community, and making students feel unsafe both at school and at home.
At the park:
There was music, conversation, networking, and genuine discontent with the current state of affairs.
Some students had hand-written signs and custom tee-shirts, expressing their concerns.
The mood was light, energetic, and positive.
Everybody seamed to be on the same page.
“Fuck ICE” “Chinga La Migra” - Let’s dance - let our voices be heard!.
But their optimism and solidarity was tinged with a bit of social awareness and teenaged unwariness.
An awkward mix of excitement and fear for the future.
Too young to vote, but not too young to have an opinion.
They knew that they couldn’t vote for the next mayor or congress-person or president.
But they were able to recognize right-from-wrong; and that what the Trump administration, ICE, and the MAGA crew are doing is firmly in the “wrong” category.
This recognition drew them together. It drew them to stand-up and make their voices heard.
The students gathered around the stage:
The speakers had a congruent message: ICE and Trump are out-of-control, we all deserve human rights, the kids are alright.
Later; Congressional candidate Melat Kiros delivered a short speech praising the students for showing up, reminding them that not being old enough to vote doesn’t mean that they are powerless, and urgeing them to keep organizing.
Referring to the kids and their efforts, Kiros said: "This is how you change things."
But not all was well and without confrontation.
A antagonistic counter-protesters showed up, looking harass the children.
An masked, unidentified male showed up sporting black and red MAGA-coded garb, displaying an “I Love ICE” sandwich board style sign. (Reminiscent of the “I Hate *slur “ sign from the 1995 “Die Hard With A Vengeance” film. A sign made only with the intent of provoking violence.)
Wearing a GoPro style action camera on his chest, He moved through the crowd of children two or more times.
The children (rightly so IMO), yelled and chased the masked man away.
But apparently he did not get enough video footage of him harasing literall children for his right-wing circle-jerk outlet, and his producers sent him back.
He returned again, intent on instigating violence among the peaceful children, to get the clicks and the likes to “Own the libs”.
This time the kids had had enough. They chased him, cursed him, and threw water bottles at him. He was hit several times with these 16.9 ounce plastic and H2O projectiles.
One kid was brave enough to steal the cowards “I Love ICE” sign and destroy it.
Apparently he forgot to tie his shoes, because at one point he sat down to tie his shoe, relying upon protection from the conscientious-minded organizers whom he had been antagonizing seconds earlier.
The man later falsely claimed to to several overly-scrupulous media outlets that he was “A Journalist”; with intentions to absolve himself of any wrong-doing.
(Hi, Travis here: real photographer and journalist. Actual journalist do not hide their identity or wear masks to conceal themselves. We have prominently displayed “PRESS” ID’s and visual markings, we introduce ourselves and the organization that we are working for to the organizers, participants, and attendees. We tell people where to find our work, why we are here, and announce our intentions of publication. We do not hide our cameras or microphones, and we do not haras, assault, interfere, agitate or instigate trouble, disruption, or violence. The more you know) (Any outlet that repeats the lie that this man was “a journalist” should be subject to extreme suspicion and disbelief. If they repeat this lie, they have failed in the most basic 101 ways of investigation, common-sense, journalistic-integrity, and are morraly inept)
Here are some photos of that trouble-making “I Love Ice” masked adult man.
Democratic House Candidate Melot Kiros dances with the kids at the “Walk Out for ICE Out” protest - La Alama Park , Denver Colorado September 04 2026
Democratic House Candidate for Colorado Melat Kiros dances the WOBBLE at the “Walk Out For ICE Out” protest in Denver Colorado. Youth High School Students from over 200 Colorado schools participated in the protest Organized By Bre Kennedy, Co-founder of The Youth Coalition
All photos and videos and words are taken by, edited by, and written and copyright by me: Travis R Vowell
© 2026 Travis Ryan Vowell (Travis Vowell) · TRVowell Photo · Denver, Colorado. All rights reserved. Unless otherwise credited, all photographs and original essays on this page were created by and are the copyright of Travis Ryan Vowell.
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