Kennesaw State students join nationwide walkout on Trump inauguration anniversary

Georgia students plan walkout to protest on Tuesday

Students across 12 Georgia colleges and high schools, including Kennesaw State University, organized a mass walkout to mark the one-year anniversary of President Trump’s second term. Sparked by the "Free America Walkout" movement, the protest centers on the recent fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good by an ICE agent in Minneapolis

KENNESAW, Ga. - Protests are planned across the country on Tuesday as the country marks the anniversary of President Donald J. Trump’s second inauguration.

Students at Kennesaw State University and a dozen other Georgia schools are set to walk out of classes.

Kennesaw State University students organize walkout

What they're saying:

The noon demonstrations, organized in part by the group Students for Socialism, are intended to show solidarity with those affected by U.S. military intervention abroad and recent ICE raids in Minneapolis.

"A lot of people feel helpless," said Grace Blumberg, a KSU senior and walkout organizer. "But it's been made very clear that what we can't do is wait till November. We can't wait for another election."

The local protests were sparked by recent violence in Minneapolis, where community member Renee Nicole Good was shot and killed by an ICE agent. Blumberg noted that 2,000 agents were sent to that city for what she described as a "racist crackdown" on Somali immigrants.

While the Minneapolis events served as a catalyst, organizers say their grievances extend to the administration’s broader economic and foreign policies.

"We've seen throughout the entire Trump administration this racist billionaire program," Blumberg said. "We saw cuts to SNAP, we're seeing cuts to Medicaid and Medicare, all at the same time when we're seeing a new war being escalated on Venezuela."

Cobb County GOP: ‘Do their own research’

The other side:

In response to the planned demonstrations, Cobb County GOP Chair Mary Clarice Hathaway released a statement supporting the students' right to gather.

"I would also encourage those protesting to do their own research and know why they are protesting, not just listen to the opinions of others or the media," Hathaway said.

KSU rally part of nationwide shutdown

What's next:

The KSU rally is scheduled to take place at the KSU Green from noon until 1:30 p.m. Following the campus event, many students plan to travel to Atlanta for a 5 p.m. multi-organizational rally at Hurt Park.

Organizers say the goal of the "nationwide shutdown" is to exercise the political power of the working class.

"We are the people who run society, so we should get to decide how society is run," Blumberg said. "And the way we can do that, apply that pressure, is by shutting down business as usual."