Thousands Protest Trump’s Election Amid Climate Fears and Allegations of “Professional Activism”
In many U.S. cities, starting with New York, many have taken to the streets to protest the election of Donald Trump as president. Some demonstrators have kept vigil in front of Trump Tower on 5th Avenue, where the president-elect has spent time assembling the personalities who will form his future government. A row of concrete barriers have kept passers-by away from Trump Tower in New York City, but that failed to stop the protesters from delivering their slogan of choice: “Not my president!”
As for the president-elect’s new government, Trump has appointed a transition team, leading up to his new administration, which will officially begin on January 20, 2017. Trump has even been acting presidential. Apart from talking to Russian President Vladimir Putin, Trump spoke “about 7-8 minutes” by telephone with French President François Hollande.
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Some people—many it seems—are afraid. And some, like organizer Ben Wikler from MoveOn.Org, urged demonstrators to gather across the country.
Meanwhile, in an effort to quell some of the protests, criticisms of the Paris climate agreement (COP21) were quietly removed from Trump’s campaign web site. During the election campaign, in fact, Trump called out climate change and related international agreements. He argued that climate change is “a hoax” invented by the Chinese to harm American industry. (Source: “The biggest threat to Earth has been dismissed by Trump as a Chinese hoax,” Business Insider, November 11, 2016.)
This hasn’t worked. Hundreds—if not thousands—of protesters have taken to the streets of several major American cities, from Baltimore to Los Angeles. On Saturday, November 12, there were over 10,000 protesters in New York, and also as many in Los Angeles and Chicago. Indeed, there have even been reports of student demonstrations in Texas. Meanwhile, in Washington D.C, police have set up security barriers in front of Trump’s new hotel.
But there have been allegations of “professional,” meaning paid, protesters. USA Today challenged that notion, presenting them as ordinary people. However, WikiLeaks corroborates accusations that there are experienced protest organizers and activists. (Source: “Anti-Trump Protests: Proof Of Professional Activist Involvement,” ZeroHedge, November 13, 2016.)
What is certain is that Trump’s election, driven by the anger of an electorate feeling ignored by the elites and threatened by globalization, shattered the dreams of Democrat Hillary Clinton to become the first woman president.
