Donald Trump is not popular among many people in Chicago. They had no trouble expressing their disdain for the forty-fifth president of these United States. Protesters gave credence to a reversal of an old adage. This time, it was words speaking louder than actions.
By Sunday night, protesters were gathered outside of Trump Tower in preparation for Donald Trump’s visit to the windy city. Activist Pastor Emma Lozano said, according to the Chicago CBS affiliate:
‘We are here to change hearts and minds.’
Lozano has been working with an immigration rights group. The organization thinks that Trump’s policies have infringed upon people who have been trying to immigrate to the U.S. through lawful means. She said:
‘We should celebrate our immigrants, because they have built this city and built this country. We all have come from somewhere else. We’re the descendants of immigrants.’
Some of the protesters wore Trump masks from Halloweens past.
Chicago’s police were heavily armed in anticipation of the protesting crowds. The police set up metal temporary fencing and city snowplows as safety barriers, which can be quickly moved to another location as needed. A number of streets had been close off to further protect Trump’s motorcade, and the barriers prevented people from gathering directly in front of the president’s tower.
POTUS spoke to the International Association of Chiefs of Police Conference. Later, he attended a fundraiser at his Chicago Trump International Hotel & Tower.
Officials anticipated that the crowds would be less enthusiastic than those in 2016. At that time. The president had scheduled a rally, but with minutes to spare, he called it off. There were vocal crowds protesting the cancellation — both for and against Trump.
Once the decision was made by Trump’s people, crowds of anti-Trump demonstrators surrounded his Chicago tower. One police officer was bleeding from a head wound and others clashed with the demonstrators in 2016.
Additional police arrived to find one police officer in a struggle with a protester. They subdued him, but blood flowed freely after the altercation. A handful of other activists were also seen taken away by police. A total of four people were injured, including two of the police.
There were 300 police assigned in the previous crowd control. This year, police superintendent Johnson assigned 1,800 to crowd control. City officials said:
‘Plans are in place to ensure the safety and security of the city and any first amendment activities that may occur.’
Trump had not been to Chicago since his election, and protesters carried a wide variety of posters. Here is a sample:
- “Twitler” (A sign held up against Trump’s hotel and featuring Trump with a Hitler mustache).
- Hey! Trump Chicago Only Welcomes You as a Federal Prison Inmate.
- Impeach (written alongside a giant peach).
- #outno
- Quid Pro Quo…Trump’s gotta go.
- Putin’s Puppet.
- Treason! Crimes Against Humanity (Picture of Trump behind bars)
- Wake up America!
- Not Fake News, Real Women.
- Impeach and Remove.
- You Are Not Welcome Here.
- Trump Is the Symptom, Capitalism Is the Disease, Socialism Is the Cure.
- Impeach and Convict.
- It’s still Mueller Time Impeach Trump.
- Vote Trump Out Worst President Ever!
- Dump Donald.
- Pro America Anti Trump.
- Nobody Is Above the Law.
- Hands Off My Body.
- Trump/Pence #outnow!
- Small Hands.
- National Wall…National Gall! Enough Said.
- No! (Protester with a microphone).
- Impeach (Protester with an American flag).
Featured image via Twitter.
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