On November 12 a protest was held against the toxic politics of president-elect Donald trump. Responding to the sheer dismay at the results of the election, the A.N.S.W.E.R Coalition organized at the corner of Presidents Way and Park Boulevard.
At first keeping to the sidewalk, the crowd grew until the grassy area was crowded with hundreds of the dissatisfied and angry. Chants refuting Trump’s revival of racism, homophobia and misogyny in U.S. discourse were punctuated by the horns of supportive motorists. The refusal to tolerate Trump’s program and the need for an alternative was expressed over and over.
Outgrowing the corner in which it began the protest took to the street. Marching up President’s Way into Balboa Park, followed and watched by police motorcycles, demonstrators pushed into the center of the park’s museums and plazas. Tourists and locals alike expressed support. The broad diversity of the march’s participants stood in contrast to the occasional solo Trump supporter, quick to exit after yelling an obscenity.
Taking El Prado, the march disrupted one of San Diego largest tourist areas. Performers and merchants were forced to suspend their activity until the event passed. Musicians were unable to compete with the volume of the chants. Tourists were drawn from their leisure to observe the activity.
At the Balboa Park fountain the march slowed to consolidate itself and build its energy uninterrupted. The protesters obscured the fountain from view on all sides before continuing down Park Boulevard.
In the street the march transitioned easily from chant to chant. “Her Body, Her Rights” “No Trump, No KKK, No More Fascist USA” “Racist, Sexist, Anti-Gay, Donald Trump Go Away” The march, much larger now than when it began with an estimated 1,000 people, returned to the corner where it had started.
At the corner of President’s Way and Park Boulevard the group crowded the grassy area. Many were first time activists. Disturbed by the election many asked what they could do. The desire to organize arose again and again in conversation.
Taking to a stage constructed for the event, an A.N.S.W.E.R. organizer along with a representative from Anakbayan spoke to the gathered protestors. The continuing crisis of a failed democracy and capitalist system was mentioned between performances by a local punk band Endless//Nameless and MC Real J Wallace DJ DNYKay. The need to organize and resist was repeated to the audience. The failure of U.S. politics to serve the people was emphasized; Clinton was excoriated alongside Trump. The crowd was receptive to these messages and many expressed a desire to do more and stay active.
The uncertainty of the future has robbed many of their comfortable routine. The bleakness of a Trump presidency precludes the typical passivity of U.S. politics. For the disaffected, the only answer is to organize and act now to stop war and end racism.
