Greensboro residents began organizing in the streets of downtown Greensboro around 8 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 10 to protest the recent presidential election of Donald Trump.
“I think its important that we show up for community organizers and that we show up for our communities and tell our elected officials, our police officers and our lawyers that we’re here and that we’re watching,” said senior Najha Zigbi-Johnson, one of many Guilford College students in attendance.
The protest follows a national movement that some organizers have coined “Not My President.” Similar protests have occurred in multiple cities throughout the country, including Chicago, New York City and Los Angeles, according to The Washington Post.
“Feeling unsafe in the country you live in, it’s always been happening, but especially now, (Trump’s election) has incited this culture of fear that’s so different from any other presidency there’s been,” said junior Rebecca Hamilton-Levi, who attended the protest. “I think it’s really important for us to combat that.”
Protesters met at the corner of South Elm Street and East McGee Street, where some members of the crowd spoke over a microphone on their experiences. From there, the demonstrators began marching north on Elm Street.
When the march reached the corner of East Market Street and Elm Street, protesters stopped and sat in the street, chanting “Hey hey, ho ho, Donald Trump has got to go,” and “Tell me what democracy looks like. This is what democracy looks like.” Protests remained nonviolent.
The Greensboro Police Department then alerted organizers that the crowd would need to move to the sidewalks and that covering one’s face would be risking arrest.
“They might start arresting people,” organizer Juan Miranda told the crowd. “It’s my responsibility to let you know that’s the message. They said we can move to the sidewalk and keep it going there. …. I’m going to count to 10, and the people can choose to move to the sidewalk, or you know.”
Around 9 p.m., a major commotion from the crowd broke out as police arrested two people. One other person collapsed on the ground and the protest paused as people reached out for medical attention.
“How are we supposed to trust any of you with our lives when you keep killing us?” said UNCG sophomore Kaz Liu to the gathered law enforcement officials after the arrests.
The crowd, which had grown significantly in size since the initial gathering, marched from Elm Street to the Guilford County Law Enforcement Center to stand in solidarity with the two people who were arrested.
There, more speakers spoke to those gathered about dissatisfaction with the election of Trump and about their rights as protesters.
