Photos: Anti-Trump 'Love Rally' Fills Washington Square Park

Scott Lynch

Published Nov 12, 2016

Modified Nov 12, 2016

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Scott Lynch / Gothamist

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Scott Lynch

Published Nov 12, 2016

Modified Nov 12, 2016

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Anti-Trump protests continued around the country yesterday, with at least two direct actions in New York City, including a well-attended, vociferous rally and march in and around Washington Square Park.

The afternoon-into-evening demonstration in the Village was positioned as a "Love Rally", with organizer Sydney Miller hoping to emphasize support for "targets of Donald Trump's hate speech," including "Muslims, women, those who have disabilities, latinos/latinas/latinx people and everyone else" the president-elect has put down. The all-inclusive, family-friendly vibe led to more positive feelings and young children in attendance than at previous anti-Trump marches. But, it's all but impossible not to express a large measure of disgust when your subject is the autocratic Republican leader, so there was plenty of anger on display as well.

Starting at around 2:00 p.m., several hundred demonstrators gathered around the Washington Square Arch (the fountain was running but closed, as if anyone would have wanted to go swimming in yesterday's bluster and chill) and, after some chanting and a few speeches, a huge pack would leave the park and march in a loop over to Sixth Avenue, up to 9th Street, and then back down Fifth. These happened at least twice.

The NYPD watched these moving demonstrations closely, but protesters mostly stayed on the sidewalk, blocking traffic only intermittently, and there was little tension and no arrests.

Given the potential for so many terrible things to happen as soon as Trump and a GOP Congress start wielding power, the protest had many messages. Chants of "Say it loud, say it clear: refugees are welcome here" would give way way to "Hey hey, ho ho, climate change is not a hoax" to "Gay rights are human rights", "Black lives matter", "Our body, our choice", and the more sweeping "We reject the President-elect."

Many in the crowd were distributing safety pins, the current symbol of solidarity with the oppressed, and one that offers a visual signal that the wearer represents a "safe space" to strangers feeling discomfort or fear due to hate in a public space.

There's a big Not My President demonstration planned for today, starting with a rally at noon in Union Square and a march up to Trump Tower. This is likely to be a more antagonistic event.

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