Norman High School students held a “pro-America” rally Friday. Rally participants were met with opposition from student counterprotesters.
At noon, roughly 15 Norman High students gathered for the rally, holding American flags and signs in support of the Trump administration.
The protest followed two anti-ICE protests in the past two weeks, one at Norman High School and one at Norman North High School.
OU Daily chose not to gather last names when interviewing minors to protect their privacy.
Jackson, a Norman High senior, noted his reason for participating in the rally.
“There was an (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) protest on Tuesday at our school. We’re not here in protest of that protest, we’re simply here to wave our American flag and show our support for the country,” Jackson said. “We want veterans to know when they’re driving by that they still have our generation’s support.”
Jackson also noted his intent to provide a contrast to events at Tuesday’s Norman High protest, where students threw water bottles at opposing protesters.
“I invited all of (the counterprotesters) out to come to our protest to see that we’re going to be peaceful because that protest on Tuesday was not peaceful at all,” Jackson said. “I just wanted to show them that we can have peaceful protests and peaceful discussions with each other to try to change opinions.”
Across the street, around 30 students counterprotested the rally with flags of Latin American countries and signs expressing disapproval of ICE operations and the Trump administration.
Celia, a junior at Norman High and counter-protester, voiced her concerns with the rally, especially after events that took place at the Tuesday protest.
“I’m out here today because we recently had our own protest and it was pretty peaceful. I feel like all (Tuesday’s counterprotesters) were trying to do was get a response out of us,” Celia said.
Celia said she was passionate about counterprotesting because she has seen firsthand how ICE detainment has affected families.
“I know relatives that have been in (ICE detainment) for eight months with no criminal record, …” Celia said. “I came here to stand my ground, speak my words and that’s about it.”
Rally participants congregated near the ice machine at Casey’s gas station across the street from Norman High. Rallygoers attempted to buy bags of ice, but Norman High alum and Comanche Nation member Chantel Pewewardy confronted them.
“I’m from Norman. I graduated here from Norman High in ’99, …” Pewewardy said. “I’ve dealt with this stuff my whole life living here in Norman, as a full-blooded Native American person. (Rally participants) don’t understand that this land is nobody’s land. This is nobody’s land to own.”
NHS Principal Hallie Wright sent an email to students, families and staff prior to the rally detailing the school’s protest guidelines. According to the email, students who skipped class to protest would be marked absent.
“Behavior that would result in disciplinary action on campus also applies to behavior off campus during lunch or the school day. Students found to be involved in any inappropriate behavior will be disciplined in accordance with the NPS Student Code of Conduct,” Wright wrote.
Celia said the school was supportive of students protesting, as long as it was peaceful.
“I feel like our school has been very supportive of us being open about our First Amendment. I’ve known one person that got in-school suspension but that was because they were the ones who started throwing water bottles (on Tuesday),” Celia said.
This story was edited by Natalie Armour and Audrey McClour. Mary Ann Livingood copy edited this story.
