In response to concerns over negative visibility and attention toward students and employees, a campus demonstration to support immigrant communities was canceled this evening.
Young Democratic Socialists of America (YDSA) co-chair Hazel Handy ‘27 confirmed the cancellation to The Student. “Folks have communicated concern over calling attention to Bates, even though there are many demonstrations going on across Maine on Jan. 23,” she said.
Originally scheduled for Jan. 23, the rally, organized by members of YDSA on campus, was meant to protest the presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) presence in Lewiston and provide support for immigrants on and off campus.
“We are completely disgusted by the actions of this administration in deciding to send a bunch of thugs to kidnap our neighbors and friends and family,” Braedon Parker ‘27, co-chair of YDSA, told The Student ahead of the planned rally.
“Most prominently, I feel concerned for the people who live in this community,” Parker shared at the time. “As someone who’s a part of this community, I don’t think that ICE has any reasonable reason to be kidnapping people off the streets. I think that this recent focus on ‘illegal immigration’ is really disgusting, and is what I personally would consider quasi-fascist.”
In a Signal group chat originally created to organize club leaders across campus, multiple students shared concerns about safety.
“Actions like this don’t impact everyone the same way, and for some people, there are serious consequences tied to safety and being visible both on campus and in Lewiston,” Alexis González ‘26 of Raíces Unidas said.
González worried that the rally could bring unwanted attention to students and workers she knew and had spoken to. “This particular demonstration, given its format and location, isn’t something Raíces Unidas can stand behind,” she wrote.
Handy announced the cancellation in an email to the YDSA club on Jan. 22 at 6:04 p.m., just two days after an email to the same recipients included details for the upcoming event. The original email, titled “Solidarity with Immigrant Communities,” also included a poster for the event reading “Protect Our Immigrant Communities.”
The cancellation email was brief, highlighting that the cancellation was out of concern for safety. Handy, who signed off on the email, also highlighted the upcoming YDSA club meeting as an opportunity for student political engagement.
A host of protests are set to take place in Maine, in association with Indivisible’s “ICE Out For Good” campaign, including ones in Durham, Farmington, and Merrimac. A Facebook event circulated by Lewiston-Auburn locals is currently scheduled for noon on Saturday in Lewiston’s Kennedy Park, with over 100 people planning to attend.
In response to the campus demonstration’s cancellation, Handy reported mixed responses. “Some have said that they think we made the right choice, and some have said they strongly believe that cancelling is not the right choice,” she said.
Regardless of the campus rally’s cancellation, Handy shared a continued desire for public action, adding that in addition to local protests, the Harward Center can always connect students with organizations needing volunteers, such as Gather to Grow. Gather to Grow delivers food “so that at-risk folks do not have to leave their homes for groceries,” Handy said.
“We believe that public outcry is necessary right now,” Handy added. “YDSA maintains the stance that having an organized and politically active student body is critical during times like these. That was the aim of having a demonstration such as this.”
