By Oona Foley and Nick Michael
Tiger Staff
Photo by Hana Tyszka
Staff Photographer
Downtown Los Angeles hosted thousands of anti-Trump protesters, including many SPHS students, on Wednesday in the wake of Donald Trump’s election. The protest reflected the different reactions of many Los Angeles area residents.
“There were two sides to this protest,” junior Lachlan Campbell said. “On one side it was peaceful and it was all about preaching love not hate, while on the other side there were people who were angry and didn’t want peace.”
Protesting began at 1:00 in the afternoon, as young people gathered at the Civic Center Metro station. From there, the group of mostly college and high school students marched through the streets of downtown, attracting the attention of pedestrians and cars. People on the street joined in, chanting “Not my president” and “The people, united, will never be divided.” Many held signs reading “GOP, Hands Off Me” and “Epic Fail.” The protesters picked up support and received many honks and yells of encouragement.
The demonstration continued into the evening as protesters gathered on the steps of Los Angeles City Hall. There, speakers from Black Lives Matter spoke about unity and brought up ways to oppose Donald Trump using love rather than hate. As the protest progressed, people flooded the 101 Freeway, leading to its temporary shutdown.
Several South Pasadena students were amongst the crowd protesting against Trump. These students represented the anger and disappointment that the majority of the student body currently feels.
“I had all this anger inside of me, and I didn’t know what to do about it.” senior Dzelila Maslesa said. “I knew I had to use my voice to make a change, no matter how small.”
This demonstration was just one example of the widespread animosity felt by millions of Americans. Protesters have been rallying since Wednesday in downtown Los Angeles, as well as other major cities across the country.
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