Evanston Township High School walkout: Students protest war in Iran and deportation policies

The Evanston Township High School walkout took place Friday when dozens of students left classes to protest the war in Iran and President Donald Trump’s immigration policies, participants and organizers said.

Protesters carried signs reading "war is costly, peace is priceless" and "Abolish ICE" as they marched several blocks to the school football field, where about 150 students gathered in the blue-and-orange stands. Speakers at the rally called for peace in Iran and raised concerns about conflict in Gaza and Ukraine, students said.

Kevin Watts, a junior and member of the student union that organized the action, said the demonstration was meant to both express opposition and to inform peers who may not understand the wider impacts, including rising gasoline prices. "People are definitely aware of what’s happening with immigration. They’re aware about the war," he said.

Senior Lillian Roth, 17, said she joined after hearing from a close friend with family in Iran and voiced worries about the human and financial costs. "There’s so many better things to put that money towards than war," Roth said, naming education, health care and infrastructure as priorities.

Freshman Valeria Miranda, 14, whose family is from Mexico, said she walked out to protest the administration’s deportation campaign and fears for immigrant families. Students noted the turnout was a fraction of the school’s roughly 3,400 enrollment.

Students at the rally distributed flyers with instructions on contacting local representatives and cited media reports that put regional casualties in the thousands amid the wider conflict. Organizers said the protest follows earlier student actions this year, including a January march against ICE, and that some participants plan to join upcoming "No Kings" demonstrations.

The walkout concluded peacefully with no reported injuries; organizers said they will continue grassroots outreach and coordinate further activities.