About one hundred people gathered at the Matthew Shepard Memorial Triangle in West Hollywood tonight to protest President Donald Trump and recent actions by him and his administration.
The demonstration was organized by Robert Gamboa and Duke Mason, members of West Hollywood’s Lesbian and Gay Advisory Board. Speakers included Mayor Lauren Meister and council members John Duran and Lindsey Horvath. The rally ended with a march along Santa Monica Boulevard to West Hollywood Park.
On the opposite, northeast corner of Crescent Heights and Santa Monica boulevards, a group of about a dozen Donald Trump supporters gathered, displaying signs and chanting their support.
Mason said he and Gamboa organized the protest to make sure West Hollywood had a voice in the debate over the Trump administration’s action to roll back various progressive measures, including repealing the Affordable Care Act. He also said that he and Gamboa wanted to express concern about Trump’s nomination of a Supreme Court justice who has taken positions against LGBT rights and similar administration officials And, he said, “We may be LGBT, but we’re also Americans, and an attack on any of us is an attack on all of us.”
Meister called out Trump for his behavior as well as his position on issues. “My expectation was that the person who willingly takes on the role of President of the United States of America would be an adult,” she said. “Would understand that his words, his actions, his tweets have consequences.”
“I expected that the person who willingly takes on the role of President of the United States of America would be a person who believes that all people are equal under the law. Who believes that all people deserve an opportunity for a good education. Who believes that all people deserve equal pay for equal work. Who believes that all people have a right to affordable healthcare. Who believes that all people have a right to marry the person they love.
“My expectation was that the person who willingly takes on the role of President of the United States of America would have compassion for those less fortunate. Would take care of our veterans, and not recklessly put our armed forces – those who put their lives on the line for us everyday — who fight for our freedoms — in harms way. ”
Horvath cited West Hollywood’s reputation as a city that welcomes people of different sexual orientations and races and religions. She punctuated her remarks by calling out “Dump Trump,” which was repeated and cheered by the crowd.
“Our message as a city is clear,” Horvath said. “We are not going back. We are not going into back alleys or into the closet. We are not going to conversion therapy or DSM 4 listings. We are not going back to watching our neighbors, our friends, our loved ones dying in the streets because if HIV and AIDS. We are not going back to separate, which has never ever been equal. We’re not building walls to divide us. We are linking arms to unite us. No one is equal unless everyone is equal.”
Duran cited Samuel Adams, one of the country’s founding fathers and an author of the Declaration of Independence, in his speech: “If ever time should come, when vain and aspiring men shall possess the highest seats in government, our country will stand in need of experienced patriots to prevent its ruin.”
Duran, a Latino, called for people to stand up for the rights of immigrants. And he said that if Trump supporters tried to block womens’ access to abortion clinics, his opponents should escort them through the blockades.
“The battle line has been drawn, just like on Crescent Heights,” Duran said, alluding to a dozen pro-Trump demonstrations on the northeast corner of Crescent Heights and Santa Monica. “I want to thank those people across the street because we’re gong to give you a good fight for the next four years.”
Those at the rally carried a variety of signs, some handmade calling out Trump for his ban on immigrants from seven predominantly Muslim nations, and others describing him as a Fascist.
On the northeast corner of Crescent Heights and Santa Monica, pro-Trump demonstrators engaged in heated discussions with anti-Trump people, one of whom was arrested.
“There was some crazy lunatic who came from across the street. She spat on a woman and than on another person,” said Jake Lee, an organizer of the pro-Trump rally. Sgt. Connie Delgado of the West Hollywood Sheriff’s Station confirmed that a woman, aged 50, had been arrested and charged with battery after spitting on a Trump supporter, who himself put her under citizen’s arrest.
Lee said Trump supporters have acted peacefully. “I have done many rallies all over L.A. We have our opinions, but we’re not smashing windows and punching people in the face and spraying mace on the face.”
i agree with woody. i ignore trump supporters in person. just like i ignore insane comments.
<<>> @NIR: If you think Bernie would have won you’re just one of his disgruntled supporters who didn’t vote for Clinton and helped get us what NO ONE deserves. A Newsweek reporter read the opposition bio (which he said was a foot thick) on Bernie that the Republicans and Trump would’ve used had he been the nominee and he said there’s no way he would’ve survived that. (And this was before the election.) So think what you want, but I, for one, will not get over Trump. I’ve lived here since before WeHo was even a city and I’ve never… Read more »
Nir is right !!! Stop worry about Tramp, worry about our own city, our people. “About 100” rally in city with only 15000+LGBT community members ? It’s a joke !
Why would anyone have had expectations that Trump would do anything other than what he has demonstrated throughout his life and advocated throughout his campaig?. Trump established himself from his early days in NY Military Academy where his parents sent him to get in line. Read the history, it hardened him and he never waivered. Jeff Sessions is now his Roy Cohen and others have fallen into step all along the way. Trump is without an ethical or moral compass. His divining rod is insecurity cloaked in fear, aggression and disdain for beliefs and opinions other than his own. Democracy… Read more »
And I’m sure there are those in WeHo who are surprised that one person arrested wasn’t me!
I don’t understand why the Trump supporters aren’t just ignored & not given the attention they are seeking. They are essentially intruders & though they have the opportunity to have their own pro-Trump event any time they wish, they hook up to one that will help them get noticed more. It’s like the lunatic protesters at the CSW parade. Unfortunately parade participants stop & engage the “religious” nuts & have shouting matches back & forth with them, get them more attention & publicity then they would ordinarily get & play right into their reason for being there. They should absolutely,… Read more »
Get over it, WEHO.
We got a new president, you wanted Clinton, not BERNIE,
So now we got what we deserve.
Stop worry about, worry about our own city. our own people. it’s enough to do for our people in needs, disability, homeless, meth, HIV.
i never saw no one rally for them, did you?
Trump fans claim they are “peaceful” yet they rally behind a leader that boasts about sexually assaulting women, threatening to “punch” a protestor in the face and is currently cheerleading the use of torture. Let’s not even get to the fact that hate crimes are on the rise. Trump and his goons are anything but peaceful.