Roughly 30 students walked out of class at South Burlington High School midday Friday to protest the arrest of three people earlier this week by federal immigration officials.
The chain of events Wednesday morning began with Immigration and Customs Enforcement chasing a vehicle on Dorset Street, which crashed near the high school and middle school around the time that students were arriving for school. South Burlington Police Chief William Breault later criticized ICE for what he viewed as a lack of consideration for community safety in attempting the arrest.
Agents continued the pursuit to a home, where they believed the suspect had fled, and protesters gathered outside throughout the day. Federal agents entered the house with support from state and local police and arrested three people — none of whom was the man named in their warrant — and clashed in the street with activists who were attempting to prevent them from driving away.
One of the three people arrested is a parent with two children who attend South Burlington schools, according to court filings. She has a pending asylum claim, and her attorney says she is being detained illegally.
Students waved signs and received friendly honks from cars passing by.
Senior Jillian Monahan protested Friday. She called what happened Wednesday an "atrocity" and said she felt it was her civic duty to protest.
"What happened on Wednesday is wrong. What happened, what's been happening throughout this country, is wrong. And I needed to be here today to say that,” she said.
A few school board members and parents came to protest alongside students. Matthew Nowland, who has two children in South Burlington schools, said he was dismayed to see federal officials participate in a car chase near a public school.
"Human lives and children's lives and things like that shouldn't even be a political discussion. It's pretty remarkable that ICE would do this right outside of a school during a school day with children present with a complete disregard for their safety,” he said.
Nowland also protested at the scene of the arrest on Wednesday and said as both a veteran and a physician, he found the actions of federal immigration officials disturbing.
