After Americans elected Donald Trump on Nov. 8, there have been protest rallies all across the country to show the anger of voters. Protests occurred for three consecutive nights, starting on Nov. 9 and ending on Nov. 11. There were protests in cities such as Miami, Atlanta, Philadelphia, New York, San Francisco, Boston, and Portland. Many of these “peaceful” protests turned into violent riots, where some people actually got shot or injured.
Some protests were not peaceful. In Portland, many people were walking through and blocking traffic, shouting chants about Trump. Police arrested approximately 30 people in Portland and over 100 in Los Angeles.
In New York City on Nov. 9, a peaceful protest started at Union Square, 14th Street, at 6 p.m. and stayed there for about 90 minutes. After, they marched through the streets to Trump Towers. Storming the crowded streets led to people having to leave their cars in the road, or stay in them for hours until all 10,000+ of the protestors had passed.
“We went to the protest because as of right now, the amount of hate crimes that have risen since Trump’s presidency scare some of us enough that we can’t walk outside,” said a student from Marymount Manhattan College. “Some friends couldn’t bring themselves out of bed on Wednesday because they now live in a world where they feel their future and well-being is up for debate, or that their self-worth is now questionable.”
Also on Nov. 9, a protest occurred on the Boston Commons. Many students from Lasell College attended this event.
“When we arrived, the rally was already underway and people were marching through the Boston Common, up by the State House, down Beacon Street, past Park Street and continued onto Newbury Street,” said freshman Kathy Burke. “Police were controlling the whole thing and I didn’t witness any violence. There were a lot of onlookers and I heard about 7,000 people were there. We didn’t stay until the end, but the energy was strong and you could tell people were passionate.”
“The rally that I went to on Wednesday night in the Boston Commons was really about inciting strength in women and minorities in the wake of Trump’s election,” said sophomore Corey Gray. “The rally was essentially us staking our claim in America. There were many speakers at the commons. It was such a beautiful and inspiring experience.”
As they marched, they chanted sayings such as: “Say it loud, say it clear, immigrants are welcome here.” “My body, my choice – her body, her choice.” “Love trumps hate” and “Hey ho, Donald Trump has got to go.”
Many celebrities were also not thrilled by Trump’s win. Many went to Instagram and Twitter to post a “black box” to show their disappointment. Katy Perry changed her Twitter profile picture and also tweeted “We will not be silenced,” “We are not a nation that will let hate lead us,” and “Fight for what is right.”
Zendaya also posted a black box on her Instagram, saying she is heartbroken, shocked, and scared. Lady Gaga took a different route and went to the Trump Tower in New York and held up a sign that reads “Love Trumps Hate.”
There was also a trending hashtag on Twitter. #Notmypresident became one of the top used hashtags in this past week. Many people in America refuse to believe that this is it. They will not stop fighting until they have justice.