Editor's Note: Sources have been granted anonymity in the interest of student safety. Interviewees are anonymous unless they otherwise gave consent to be named in the article.
A crowd of protesters gathered Friday evening at Monument Circle to demonstrate against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and federal immigration enforcement policies, joining a wave of student-led protests taking place across Indiana and across the country.
The rally, held around 5 p.m. downtown, was organized by Indiana Students Against ICE, a student activist group, according to local reporting and social media posts promoting the event. Participants carried signs, chanted slogans and marched briefly around the Circle. The demonstration remained peaceful throughout the evening.
News coverage described the turnout as a “crowd” of protesters. While estimates at the scene suggested several dozen attendees, no official attendance figure was independently confirmed.
Riley Park, a graduate student and organizer with the Party for Socialism and Liberation, said the demonstration aimed to raise awareness and encourage civic action.
“You see so many people being snatched from their homes, from their workplaces, from their families, being separated by ICE,” Park said. “I think it’s important for people to be organized and to fight against [it].”
Park added that students were central to the planning efforts.
“This was mostly organized by vocal Indianapolis high school students,” Park said. “We support the students and their fight.”
Three IU Indianapolis students attended the protest and requested anonymity due to privacy concerns. One student said their personal identity and family experiences motivated them to participate.
“I’m a Mexican and a queer person,” the student said. “My sisters, my aunts and uncles and my mother are calling me worried about what’s going to happen to them.”
The student said civic participation is especially important for young people.
“As students, we have an opportunity, we have time to come out here and really participate in our society,” they said. “This is how you start to participate. This is how you make your voice heard.”
Two additional IU Indianapolis students said they attended in support of immigrant communities on campus.
“I’m personally out here because I want to make a change,” one student said. “I wanted to come out here today so my voice could be heard.”
The student emphasized IU Indianapolis’ diverse population.
“There are so many people of color, there are so many immigrant children,” they said. “If ICE were to be here, it would be detrimental.”
Another student encouraged continued engagement.
“Keep speaking out. Keep protesting. Don’t be afraid,” the student said. “As long as you have community, as long as you have each other, we can make a change.”
The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department acknowledged planned demonstrations ahead of the weekend and issued a public statement affirming that lawful assembly is protected under the First Amendment.
Police said they would intervene only if laws were broken, such as blocking traffic or defacing property. No arrests or violent incidents were reported in connection with the Monument Circle gathering.
Indiana law permits the open carry of firearms. One individual wearing a face covering was observed near the protest carrying a large American flag and two long firearms slung across his shoulders. The individual declined an interview and did not engage with demonstrators. No confrontations were reported.
Friday’s rally comes amid a series of student-led walkouts and protests across Indiana in recent weeks.
Earlier this month, hundreds of students at North Central High School and Noblesville High School walked out of class to protest federal immigration enforcement, according to WFYI. Chalkbeat reported that thousands of students across Marion County and central Indiana participated in similar walkouts, including more than 100 students at Southport High School who marched while chanting and carrying signs.
Indianapolis was also one of many cities nationwide to see student-led demonstrations in response to heightened immigration enforcement and recent ICE-related incidents. In January, several hundred protesters gathered at Monument Circle following a fatal ICE-related shooting in Minneapolis, according to WFYI.
Organizers of Friday’s rally said they hope continued demonstrations will sustain dialogue about immigration policies and their impact on local communities.
Participants said they view student activism as a powerful force in shaping conversations about immigration enforcement both in Indianapolis and beyond.
Salsabil F. Qaddoura is the campus editor, financial officer and co-social media editor of The Campus Citizen. She is an undergraduate student on a pre-law track with a minor in business. She is passionate about public service and volunteerism to better our communities and the world.
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