“No Trump, no KKK, no fascist USA!”
These chants were heard outside the Government Center MBTA station in downtown Boston on Friday night, as thousands of people marched through through the city streets protesting against Donald Trump’s presidency hours after his inauguration ceremony.
The nonviolent protest was organized by “Socialist Alternative,” which is a national political organization that works to fight against injustice.
Tiara McGuire, a branch committee member, stood by a table and handed out fliers and gave information about the organization. She told The Journal in an interview that the goal of the protest was to show people how the organization believes that capitalism is not working.
“We believe that we can’t rely on people in office to fix this and we think it’s in the people’s hands to make a mass movement,” said McGuire. “We think all changes in American history came because the people pressured their way to get them.”
She said that in order for America to fix its political problems, the people need to create a mass movement.
“We do have the power, and we give that power to people in office and we can take it back if we want to,” McGuire said. “We’re out here spreading that idea, spreading the idea of a mass movement and a continued fight against Trump and really everything he and his regime stand for.”
Socialist Alternative member Tonya Chester spent the evening standing in the back of a red pick-up truck, with a microphone in her hand and a throng of people in front of her. She was the Master of Ceremonies of the event, leading chants and sparking conversation about the controversial issues surrounding Trump’s presidency.
“I think it’s really important that we begin now to organize against Donald Trump’s agenda,” Chester said in an interview with The Journal. “Even though he’s already the president, he’s already putting forward things like trying to dismantle Obamacare and we have to let it be known that it’s not okay.”
Morgan Hume/ Journal Staff
Many individuals came out to the march and protest to not only voice their political opinion, but said it was also to find a sense of community. When individuals passed out rainbow flags, played music, held handmade posters and talked to one another, some said they felt connected with each other.
“I think it’s a good way to mold ideas together and I think it really gives people a sense of unity,” Corey Kenn, 24, another protester, said in an interview with The Journal. “I felt really hopeless when I found out that he won, and then I came out to a protest that night and I felt a lot better.”
Trump supporters at the event were scarce, but a few were there wearing red baseball hats with the the now president’s slogan campaign slogan “Make America Great Again” written in white letters across the top. Although most people at the march were fighting against the president, not everyone was afraid to show support for the country’s new leader.
“Anybody here would want America to be great again. Like, no matter what their political affiliation is, it’s just words,” said Sam Hyde, 31, in an interview with The Journal, while wearing his red hat.
Trump-related protests had begun Friday morning at Northeastern University, where students teamed up with dining hall staff members to take a stand against the president and for better wages for the school’s employees. They continued to march on the Boston Common, and then ended back outside of Government Center.
