Hundreds of anti-ICE protesters briefly turned Gerberding Hall at the University of Washington into the center of campus politics on Friday, joining a nationwide "ICE Out" day of action. Organizers and university officials said the group, which included middle school, high school and college-aged participants, moved into the administration building for less than an hour. They left on their own, and there were no reports of damage. Dozens of supporters rallied outside while campus officers watched from nearby. The occupation served as the finale for one of several Seattle demonstrations timed with coordinated actions around the country.
What protesters demanded
Students with the UW chapter of Students for Democratic Society arrived with a four-point list of demands for university leaders. They want UW to publicly promise it will comply with Washington’s Keep Washington Working Act and refuse to share information with ICE or the Department of Homeland Security. They are also calling on the school to disclose what surveillance technologies it uses and reveal any communications or agreements with federal immigration agencies.
Beyond that, organizers are pushing for concrete supports for immigrant and undocumented community members, including clearly marked ICE-free spaces and regular "know your rights" trainings. They also want ICE barred from UW health facilities and for staff in those settings to receive training on how to protect patients that goes beyond simply notifying administrators. The full list of demands and the group’s description of the occupation were outlined by FOX 13 Seattle.
Organizers: university must listen
Mathieu Chabaud, an organizer with the UW chapter of Students for Democratic Society, framed the brief takeover as a way to force university officials to stop treating the issue as background noise. The administration, he argued, "should pay attention" to concerns raised by current and future students and their parents. Chabaud told FOX 13 Seattle that students had spent months trying to engage administrators and had not received what they saw as a substantive response.
Part of a national day of action
The Gerberding Hall action slotted into a broader two-day national "ICE Out" campaign that organizers described as a coordinated push on immigration enforcement. The effort featured a "national shutdown" on Friday and synchronized demonstrations on Saturday designed to increase pressure on authorities over ICE activity. The nationwide strategy and its goals were covered by The Guardian.
Campus context and past clashes
Gerberding Hall is no stranger to student activism. It has been the backdrop for earlier sit-ins and occupations, including actions last year that ended with suspensions and disciplinary referrals for some students. That history continues to shape how both sides approach each new protest. Previous occupations and the university’s disciplinary response were detailed by KUOW, providing a tense context for Friday’s shorter and more tightly contained takeover.
What’s next
Organizers signaled that leaving the building was not the end of the campaign. They say they plan to push for follow-up actions and on-campus trainings that match their demands, while local coalitions keep a close eye on how UW responds. National coverage and organizers’ public calendars indicate that ICE Out events are expected to spill into additional demonstrations and localized pressure campaigns in the coming days, as noted by Common Dreams.
