//CONNER DAVIS, EMMA FRIESEN, LAUREN IRWIN, GANNON RUSHALL & AUSTIN SACK//

Anti-Trump Protest Shakes Indianapolis

Close to one thousand protesters attended an Anti-Donald Trump rally outside of the Indiana State Capitol tonight, Nov. 12. 

Men, women and others who identified as a non-binary gender stood atop the steps outside of the Capitol and spoke to a rowdy crowd holding signs.

“I have been listening to you guys chant and shout ‘no borders, we accept immigrants,” one Latino speaker said. “Let’s not make it a chant. Let’s make it an action.”

President-elect Trump stated that he wishes to bar Muslims from entering the United States, and later changed that promise to only ban those who come from a nation that has fallen to terrorism. 

One of Trump’s more famous claims is that he will build a wall along the U.S./Mexico border and make Mexico pay for it. Whether or not it will actually happen is still unknown. 

“Currently we are working all over the nation to gather activists who will boycott Trump’s bigger supporters, because only that way will they see that the immigrant community has too much labor and economy to not offer,” he continued, concluding his speech.

An important argument against Trump’s immigration policy is that if illegal immigrants were to be completely eliminated from the U.S. economy, it would suffer rather than prosper due to the sudden lack of laborers who typically work for less than the minimum wage. That and the popular opinion that if someone wants to pursue happiness in the US, they should be able to shoot for that.

Those who listened packed the lawn, sidewalks and stone pillars around the steps leading to the Capitol. Many of them held signs with various slogans including, “love trumps hate,” “do not normalize hate,” “education not deportation,” and “he’s not my president.”

“I think it’s important to exercise our right to free assembly from the Constitution [since] Trump is trying to obviously stifle our rights, women’s rights, every race and deport everybody. It’s ridiculous,” Christine Picco said, holding a sign that said, “NOPE, I will NOT RELAX.”

Many were surprised, sad and even scared when they heard Trump had won the election.

“I cried,” Picco said. “I cried for a long time because I know a lot of people personally and a lot of minorities and a lot of people who are in jeopardy of being deported. It should not ever come to that. 11 million people, that’s ridiculous.”

Though many are scared for themselves or friends being deported, an equally large number are worried for their children’s future in the US. 

“I gotta think about my children and my niece and nephew because their futures are going to be impacted,” Louis Thomas said. “If we do not do anything, we are in trouble. This needs to be a wake-up call. We gotta be prepared, we gotta be vigilant, we gotta be consistent because there are going to be difficult days ahead.”

Thomas is referring to the wave of violent hate crimes that have been committed against in the short time that Trump has been Presidential Elect.

“I would be more worried about how people like my son, who is autistic, how they can get special care to thrive in society,” Randy Coomer said. “I am concerned for my younger kids who will soon head to college. I am also concerned for my future with the anti-health programs they are putting in.” 

At one point a large military truck circled the block with a Trump presidential campaign sign attached to both sides. After protesters noticed the large vehicle, they rushed over to the intersection it stopped at and prevented it from moving any further. 

Police interfered quickly, some even shoving the protesters back to the sidewalk causing some to drop their phones and cameras.

Speakers continued taking turns and inspiring those before them while others marched around the block, chanting “love trumps hate,” and “whose streets? Our streets.” 

According to one protester, many started filing into the streets, causing police forces to create road blocks for five blocks west of the Capitol.

At 9:15, a small group of protesters who remained at the State Capitol disbanded, leaving the streets of Indianapolis quiet once again.

“I want to raise the level of equality [in] America so there really is a land of opportunity and hope, instead of just for the few,” Coomer said.