Los Angeles (AFP) – Hundreds of students from a number of Los Angeles-area schools walked out of their classrooms on Monday to take part in a protest against Donald Trump’s election to the presidency.
The students, some of them carrying signs that read “Rise Up” and “Together We Stand” as well as American and Mexican flags, marched peacefully through east Los Angeles to a plaza in Boyle Heights, a predominantly Hispanic neighborhood.
The protest took place despite calls by school officials for students not to walk out of classes and to find other ways to express their anger at Trump’s shock election last week.
“Although it has been nearly a week since the presidential election, many students remain concerned about the outcome and want their voices to be heard,” said Michelle King, superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District.
“These are important conversations that need to take place. We want our students to know they are not alone. However, it is critical that students not allow their sentiments to derail their education or for their actions to place them in danger.”
Monday’s protest follows similar demonstrations that have taken place across the country in the wake of Trump’s election last Tuesday.
Protesters have denounced Trump’s often-inflammatory campaign rhetoric about immigrants, Muslims and women.
“We will not accept Trump’s sexism, racism, his put-down of LGBT folks,” one student told the ABC7 news channel in Los Angeles on Monday.
Evelin Miranda, 16, told the Los Angeles Times that she was scared for her family.
“I want to tell people that we don’t want Donald Trump as our president,” she told the paper. “Because he’s racist and I have immigrant parents and I’m afraid that I might lose them.”
Trump initially denounced the protests against him, saying they were “incited” by the media but then reversed course on Friday and praised the demonstrators for their “passion for our great country.”
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