UC Davis students protest the election of Donald Trump to President of the United States. Photo by Alan Blaich/KCRA.
Just hours after new president-elect Donald J. Trump delivered his victory speech in the wee hours of Wednesday morning, frustrated Americans nationwide took to the streets to decry the upsetting outcome of this year’s presidential election.
Tempers flared as large demonstrations formed in major cities across the country. Many of the protests reflected feelings of indignation, while other displayed undertones of sadness, fear and grief. Either way, the crowds openly denounced the Republican president-elect with their words — and a little bit of fire.
The Los Angeles Times reports that an estimated 2,000 people rallied at California’s UCLA when two separate demonstrations converged into one. UCLA police Sgt. Miguel Banuelos said demonstrators marched from campus through Westwood Village, and then to a federal building on Wilshire Boulevard. The protest was largely peaceful and there were no arrests, he said.
Over in Oakland, California, the scene was much more tense. According to the local police, protesters shattered a window at the Oakland Tribune Newsroom, while old tires and empty trash containers were set on fire. Demonstrators even burned a Trump effigy, Bay Area news station KNTV reports. But despite the broken windows on five store-fronts and vandalism at another business, Oakland police spokeswoman Johnna Watson said one citation was issued and nobody was arrested.
Scene on Broadway in downtown #Oakland after #ElectionNight results. Also smashed windows. @EastBayTimes @OakTribNews @mercnews pic.twitter.com/jIW7Kw7DmC
— Tyska (@Tyska) November 9, 2016
Demonstrations were also carried out on the campus of UC Berkeley, where students could be head passionately chanting, “Not my president, not my president,” the Los Angeles Times reports.
"Not our president"- People out on the streets of Berkeley, CA. protesting against Trump. Sigh, a little too late America…. pic.twitter.com/ZqSywDEr58
— Umar A. Chaudhary (@UmarAkram2) November 9, 2016
Back on the East Coast, tempers reached a fever pitch too, as residents of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania marched through city streets yelling, “No Trump, No KKK, No fascist USA.”
Students at the University of Oregon voiced similar sentiments, noting that the numbing results of this contentious election should serve as a wake up call to all Americans.
“I’m fucking terrified of this whole thing,” UO freshman Margaret Gibson told The Tab Oregon. “The mission is to raise support that Donald Trump cannot be our president.”
“I think the whole point of this protest is to get awareness that Donald Trump just won,” Gibson continued. “The whole world as we know it for minorities will be uprooted and destroyed as well as our whole economic system and morals being exposed to the world in such a bad way.”
Colin Buchanan one of the organizers of the OU rally said he and a few of his residence hall friends decided to grab their speakers and meet in a nearby courtyard where more people began to join in on the protest.
“We were very upset with the result and we didn’t want to feel like keeping quiet and we wanted to make sure we were heard in every way we can and make sure there is a representation of people who disagree with everything that has happened,” Buchanan said.
The mood surrounding Trump’s surprising victory was more celebratory over on the president -elect’s Walk of Fame star in Hollywood. The LA Times reports that a crowd of about 30 Trump supporters gathered at the site around 1 a.m. to take pictures and revel in the win.
“This is OUR president,” they cheered.
