Ten days after Election Day, about 50 people took to the streets of Sunny Isles Beach, Friday night, to protest President-elect Donald Trump’s victory and to raise awareness about their concerns.
Meanwhile, Trump supporters held their own event in Fort Lauderdale.
Demonstrators at the Sunny Isles protest chanted and held up signs as they walked up and down Collins Avenue. “I disagree with everything that Trump is standing for,” said protester Helen Berggren.
When asked whether the march will make a difference at this point, Berggren replied, “I think it’s making awareness. It’s not going to make a difference; he has been elected our president.”
But some protesters aren’t quite ready to accept the outcome of the election. “Donald Trump, go away,” they chanted.
“It’s ridiculous to just accept and to sit down and do nothing,” said one demonstrator.
“This is what democracy looks like,” protesters chanted as they marched 12 blocks, from 168th Street and Collins Avenue to the Trump International Resort, which bears the president-elect’s name.
Sunny Isles Beach Police officers were on hand to ensure everyone was safe, as curious bystanders took pictures and traffic became backed up.
Demonstrator Ari Epstein told 7News that climate change is his most pressing issue. “This is how movements are started,” he said. “Sometimes it takes a negative event to motivate change.”
Twenty miles away, Trump supporters had a get-together of their own, complete with a car emblazoned with a smiling Trump and figurines of the president-elect.
“Mr. Trump is going to take office, you know. That’s gonna happen,” said Trump supporter Bradford Cohen. “I think people need to realize that and kind of come together and get behind one person, president, and say, ‘Let’s give him a chance.'”
Back in Sunny Isles, some Trump supporters showed up in front of the resort.
Russian immigrant Julia Nikolaeva told 7News she met the business tycoon 10 years ago. “I voted for him. I became a citizen about 10 years ago,” she said. “It was the first vote I’ve ever had.”
One man taking part in the march, an immigrant from the former Soviet Union, said he is interested to see the process play out. “Right now I want to give Trump a chance,” said Felix Kizhner, “but I’m not sure that many people want to give him a chance at this point.”
However, Kizhner concedes a peaceful protest is preferable to a more hostile event. “It’s better to protest like this than to do something more violent.”
Organizers of the anti-Trump March said they plan to hold additional protests like this one.
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