Anti-Donald Trump protests are popping up around Florida and around the country to speak out against the nation’s next Commander in Chief.
Protests, usually publicized under the hashtag #NotMyPresident, have appeared all throughout Florida since Election Day, when Republican candidate Donald Trump swept the presidential election in an historic upset over Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton.
In St. Petersburg, nearly 1,000 protesters from all ages and ethnicities marched from Demens Landing to Williams Park, chanting “Not my president”, “We reject the president elect”, “Black lives matter”, and “Dump Trump.”
Chanting continued for over an hour as the protesters shut down streets in the city. Police officers led the way as people yelled and waved signs, many of which denounced Trump as a racist, misogynist and a divider among the American people.
John Gregg of St. Petersburg, who organized the rally, said he decided to bring the protest to St. Pete after Clinton’s humiliating loss on Tuesday to Trump.
“I got a wake up call on Tuesday night that I think a lot of us did, I want this to be a rallying cry for us, and for this not to be the end, but the beginning,” he said.
The protest, Gregg alleged, was a way for the people to make their voices heard against policies they feel unfairly disadvantage minority groups and promote a “rhetoric of hate.”
Gregg explained much of the burden rests with “white, straight males,” who constituted a significant portion of the vote behind Trump’s win.
“We are the only group that hasn’t been disenfranchised by Trump,” Gregg said. “It’s time for us to stand united...and to go forth. Enough is enough...Start stepping up.”
Other groups like the Dream Defenders stepped in to lead the crowd. The Dream Defenders are most notable for their sit-in at the Florida Capitol in Tallahassee, where they protested the verdict of the trial against George Zimmerman, who was acquitted after killing black teen Trayvon Martin.
The group chanted “Black lives matter!”, a rallying cry for the Dream Defenders, as they continued to march through St. Petersburg.
Protesters seemed resigned to the idea of Trump being their next president -- their protest, instead, took a more symbolic route as they pledged to fight what they viewed as a dangerous agenda for the next four years.
“His values don’t represent mine, and his values shouldn’t represent this country,” Jason Arnold of Clearwater told Sunshine State News.
“We have a president that we can’t change, but we can show that we are going to fight and make sure everyone is heard and no one is left behind,” Joanna Velez of Clearwater said Sunday.
Other protests emerged in Tampa, Tallahassee, Orlando and in South Florida, where thousands marched on the streets against Trump.
Most of the protests against Trump have been relatively peaceful, but some across the country have taken a turn for the violent. In Portland, protesters smashed storefront windows and the march turned into a riot, leaving one person shot in the leg.
Reach reporter Allison Nielsen by email at allison@sunshinestatenews.com or follow her on Twitter: @AllisonNielsen.
