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Canton McKinley students protest ICE operations with walkout
Dozens of high school students marched through the city to demonstrate against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Published on Feb. 20, 2026
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Dozens of students from Canton McKinley High School walked out of class on February 20th to protest the operations of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The students marched through Stadium Park to the McKinley National Memorial, and a group of around 30-40 later continued the demonstration at Central Plaza in downtown Canton.
Why it matters
The student walkout reflects growing concerns among young people about the role of ICE and immigration enforcement, especially in communities with large immigrant populations. The protest highlights how high school students are becoming more politically engaged and using collective action to make their voices heard on issues they care about.
The details
The student protest began around 1:23 pm when dozens of McKinley High School students left campus and marched to the McKinley National Memorial, chanting "No justice no peace! No ICE in our streets." A group of around 30-40 students later walked about 45 minutes to Central Plaza in downtown Canton to continue the demonstration. Some students said they were protesting in solidarity with Latino friends who fear being targeted by ICE, while others held signs with profanity directed at the agency.
- The student walkout began around 1:23 pm on February 20, 2026.
- The protest at Central Plaza ended around 2 pm the same day.
The players
Kamasjae Bennett
An 18-year-old senior at McKinley High School who participated in the protest.
Anthony Mayle
A 17-year-old senior at McKinley High School who marched to Central Plaza to express solidarity with Latino friends.
Marcelina Boggs
A 15-year-old sophomore at McKinley High School who held a sign with profanity directed at ICE.
Dennis Garren
A Canton Police Lieutenant who wrote that police observed the protest but made no arrests.
Canton City Schools
The school district that did not return a call seeking comment on the student walkout.
What they’re saying
“I feel like we wanted to make it more public. Make our voices known. So if we protest outside the school, who's going to see that?”
— Kamasjae Bennett, Senior, McKinley High School (cantonrep.com)
“I want to send the message that ICE should get out of Canton because they're not welcome here.”
— Marcelina Boggs, Sophomore, McKinley High School (cantonrep.com)
“our voices can't be suppressed. We have the right to protest.”
— Anthony Mayle, Senior, McKinley High School (cantonrep.com)
What’s next
Canton City Schools officials did not indicate if they would take any disciplinary action against the students who participated in the walkout.
The takeaway
The student protest at Canton McKinley High School reflects a growing trend of young people using collective action to voice their concerns about political and social issues. The walkout highlights how high school students are becoming more engaged in activism, even when it means defying school authorities.
