After President Donald Trump was inaugurated on Jan. 20, a couple hundred San Diego community members gathered to oppose his rhetoric and agenda.
Several protests were held throughout the day including one at San Diego City College and Balboa Park.
After meeting at Balboa Park, community members marched downtown in the rain holding signs that read “not my president,” “hate will not make us great” and “Trump is fake news.”
Retired certified nursing assistant and San Diego State alumnus Jennifer White said she has attended as many protests and marches as she can after Trump was elected.
“I want to be around people that feel the same way I do, which is devastated,” White said. “I am going to fight, fight, fight with Congress and the Cabinet by signing petitions and calling every day if I have to.”
San Diegan clinical laboratory scientist Laura Horst joined protesters and brought a Trump piñata along.
“I’m just a little bit overwhelmed by it all. I can’t stand the reality,” Horst said. “Coming to protest makes you feel like you can do something about it.”
Across the country protesters took to the streets the day of the inauguration. However, some demonstrators in Washington D.C. turned violent. John Ciulla, English freshman and member of SDSU College Republicans, said violent behavior is unacceptable regardless of what is being protested.
“It just seems people were upset about something and wanted to end their frustration with violence,” Ciulla said. “That’s just not acceptable.”
For the most part, protests that took place in San Diego on Jan. 20 were peaceful.
Protesters were fighting for immigration rights, women’s rights, LGBTQ rights and environmental justice.
San Diego community member Eric Sawyer said he wanted their voices to be heard.
“We just want Trump to understand that people are going to stand up and fight and pay attention if he tries to tear down health care or stop the progress of science or progress of civil rights,” Sawyer said.
Since his inauguration, Trump has signed several executive orders, including one that took steps to repeal tthe Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare.
On Jan. 23, Trump signed an anti-abortion executive order that would reinstate the Mexico City policy. This came two days after the Women’s marches that took place all over the country.
It prohibits foreign nongovernmental organizations that receive federal funding from the U.S. from performing abortions.
English freshman and member of SDSU College Democrats Madeline Doze said she thinks it is sad the government wants to get rid of non-governmental organizations that provide not only abortions but health care screenings, contraceptives and family planning.
“They’re letting one thing they don’t agree on in the way of so much good they’re doing,” Doze said.
San Diego attorney Karen Reimus said she attended the inauguration protest because she needed to get together with other people who felt the same way she did and take a stand.
“I’m here right now to make America great again by standing up for people who are marginalized,” Reimus said. “That’s what making America great again is about.”
