San Diego schools and businesses joined a nationwide boycott on Friday in protest of President Donald Trump’s immigration policies.
Students walked out of class at multiple San Diego Unified School District schools, according to the district. A handful of businesses said they are donating proceeds from the day to support immigration advocacy groups.
The National Shutdown, endorsed by groups like 50501, which organized the No Kings protests, called for a day of “no work, no school, no shopping” to protest federal agents' actions in Minneapolis and around the country.
The owner of Verbatim Books, an independent bookstore in North Park, said they planned to donate the proceeds from Friday’s sales to Border Angels, an immigrant advocacy group that supports people navigating the immigration system.
“We chose to support Border Angels," Verbatim owner Justine Enitsuj said. "We're donating all of our proceeds today to them. They do really wonderful work here in San Diego and the whole county. And, they're just really, a model of, like, you know, just like, positive change. That's really a big part of their mission statement.”
Enitsuj said that while they weren’t closing for the day, the shop wanted to show support in any way they could.
“This is just a small way that I thought it would be, You know, something we could do,” Enitsuj said.
A handful of other businesses in San Diego are also donating a portion of their proceeds from the day to groups that support immigration rights. Good Omen Coffee, Mielimon Bakery, and Rich’s Nightclub all announced their support in some capacity on Instagram.
And the Mingei Museum in Balboa Park was offering free admission on Friday in honor of the general strike, they said in an Instagram post.
Students at Mira Mesa High walked out in protest Friday, along with multiple other San Diego Unified School District schools, according to district spokesperson James Canning.
“Our principals have guidelines for how our schools handle civil activities such as protests to ensure student voices are able to be voiced while being kept safe,” Canning said in an email.
And local organizers are carrying Friday’s momentum into a day of protest on Saturday.
Sarah Barrett in Mira Mesa said their protests have been growing and that the community wants to show support for the people of Minneapolis and for each other.
“And really, to let people in our community know that people care and that, we want to stand up for what's right and stand up for what our country should be, not what it currently is,” Barrett said.
Barrett invited anybody who wants to support their cause to join them at the corner of Mira Mesa Blvd. and Westview Parkway on Saturday at 11 a.m. It’s one of multiple protests planned around the county.
“Who knows how much impact today will have. But it's a statement. It gives people a sense of power," Barrett said. "And I think when people feel a sense of power, change can happen. It's the feeling powerless is what they want us to feel. And that's what takes away our voice."
Protests are happening nationwide this weekend as Americans continue to speak out against the Trump administration and reject the immigration enforcement operations that have killed multiple people in the past two months.
