St. Albans Schools Cut Day Short as Hundreds Prepare to Protest ICE Operations

St. Albans is bracing for a major anti-ICE demonstration this Friday, with local schools dismissing students early to avoid the expected crowds. Bellows Free Academy, Northwest Career & Technical Center, and Spring Academy will let out at 11:30 a.m., half an hour before the protest kicks off at noon in Taylor Park.

The ICE Out Vermont Alliance is leading the event, which will feature speakers, live music, and a nonviolent march to the nearby federal building for a sit-in designed to disrupt ICE operations. Organizer Paul Markowitz emphasized the commitment to peaceful protest, distancing the event from confrontations seen during a recent ICE operation in South Burlington.

“Nonviolence, in our perspective, is the way to make change in this country,” Markowitz told WCAX. He added that all participants have been trained to avoid any physical or verbal clashes with law enforcement.

City Manager Dominic Cloud echoed this optimism, describing the protest as “one of the many events that occur almost weekly” in St. Albans. The police department has been working closely with organizers to ensure public safety while allowing the demonstration to proceed.

Despite the peaceful intentions, ICE issued a statement condemning any actions that obstruct federal operations or endanger safety. “The First Amendment protects speech and peaceful assembly — not rioting, assault and destruction,” the agency said.

Superintendent Bill Kimball explained the early dismissal decision as a precaution against heavy downtown traffic rather than a reaction to the protest itself. “Even on a day when we don’t have extra people here at this intersection, we back up Main Street,” he said.

The protest shines a light on ongoing resistance against the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement tactics, highlighting the tension between federal agencies and communities pushing back against ICE’s presence and policies. As St. Albans prepares for Friday, the city stands at the crossroads of peaceful civil disobedience and the federal government’s aggressive immigration crackdown.