By the end of this week we will all know the identity of the next president of the United States. Please pardon me as I start hyperventilating.
In an election wrought with controversies, ever-growing divides between the Republican and Democratic parties, and an increase in the number of flights Americans are purchasing to Canada, I was lucky enough to attend the protest at Trump International Hotel on October 26th.
As a disclaimer, I attended the protest as a journalist, and did not partake in any protest activities. These observations are entirely objective.
The Media
I was extremely surprised by the amount of reporters at the hotel. They seemed to outnumber protestors two to one. Additionally, there was every type of journalist you could imagine. I saw camera operators, photographers, correspondents, journalism students, interns—and every one of them wanted to talk to the biggest characters of the day. Such characters included a man with a pig nose, a girl wearing an “F*** Trump” shirt, and a woman dressed in a money suit with a giant likeness of Trump’s head.
The Protestors
As mentioned above, the protestors were a strange and varied bunch. Some people came prepared with signs and costumes, while others just joined in as they were passing by. They also represented a wide range of groups, from the female-led “CODEPINK” group to the anti-war and racism group the “ANSWER Coalition.” The protestors had their own grievances to lodge against Trump, but were quick to support and cheer on each other’s causes.
The Signs
If anything was more diverse than the protestors, it was the signs. An anti-nukes group held signs that read: “You’re fired,” with nuclear missiles shooting out from behind Trump’s head. A man named Cliff Smith held an “Arrest the Groper” sign. Also, a student attending the protest made a “Happy Birthday Hillary” sign (the protest fell on Clinton’s birthday).
In perhaps the biggest display of anti-Trump sentiments, two protestors held a massive American flag, upon which the dialogue from the infamous Access Hollywood video was embroidered. Featured on the flag were the better known quotes from the tape, including perhaps the most famous, “Grab ‘em by the p****”.
The Trump Supporters
While small in numbers, the Trump supporters had dedication. One woman held a sign with a big heart, smiling saccharinely while walking between cameras and the protestors. Her companion, meanwhile, held a sign that read “Hillary or Hell? What difference does it make?”
Others stood among onlookers and yelled back as protestors denounced Trump and touted Hillary. Some just argued face-to-face with the protestors. While sitting around the corner from the hotel, I overheard a conversation between the woman with the heart sign, her companion, and what I assumed was another Trump supporter. The woman lamented the “meanness” of the protestors, calling the situation sad.
She was drinking Starbucks she bought inside the Trump International Hotel—supporting her candidate in more ways than one.
Any person who says they feel happy with the way this election has gone is either lying, in denial, or has been living under a rock since 2014. As Obama hands over the keys to the White House, or rather, the nuclear codes, it seems safe to say all of America will be crying. Whether you’re crying because your candiate won, your candiate lost, democracy as we know it is dead, or you’re just really going to miss the Obamas and their dogs– well, that’s up to you.
Photo Credits belong to the author.