An estimated 4000 people gathered to march for solidarity in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood while President Donald Trump was visiting October 30, 2018 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo: Jeff Swensen/Getty Images)
'President Hate, Not Welcome in Our State': Thousands Counter Trump With March for Love and Solidarity in Pittsburgh
"Nationalism, anti-Semitism, and white nationalism cannot be allowed to exist in our city. For many of us, our families came to this country to escape brutal leaders like Trump."
As President Donald Trump arrived in Pittsburgh on Tuesday amid opposition from local officials and activists who argued the man responsible for stirring so much racist hatred should not visit the site of a deadly mass shooting motivated by anti-Semitism, thousands of peaceful demonstrators flooded the streets near the Tree of Life synagogue to condemn Trump's embrace of white nationalism and demand that he end his assault on immigrants, refugees, and other minority communities.
"The shooting is almost like a manifestation of his hate that really hits home. I wanted to let him know we do not want him here."
--Elisa BorreroWhile the protestors and mourners were barred from approaching the synagogue as Trump lit memorial candles near the site of the deadliest attack on Jews in American history, reporters who accompanied the president said they could hear the chants and songs of protestors who marched down nearby streets.
As Trump attempted to leave the synagogue, police rushed to carve out a path for the presidential motorcade--but Trump was ultimately forced to take a different route after authorities were overwhelmed by the sheer number of protestors filling the streets wielding signs that read "President Hate is not welcome in our state" and "Your words have consequences."
"The shooting is almost like a manifestation of his hate that really hits home," Elisa Borrero, a 26-year-old demonstrator and Pittsburgh resident, told Al Jazeera. "I wanted to let him know we do not want him here."
"He's fostered an administration of white supremacy and he is not welcome here in our time of mourning."
Trump's motorcade forced to turn around after thousands of protesters flood #Pittsburgh streets #strongerthanhatehttps://t.co/5MuNoohXG6 pic.twitter.com/9AJu5GpyRh
-- Julie Laumann (@Otpor17) October 30, 2018
Rev. Susan Rothenberg--who lives just a block away from this weekend's anti-Semitic attack--shouted "it's not about you!" as the president and First Lady Melania Trump arrived in Pittsburgh.
"Let the families grieve. This is our neighborhood," Rothenberg shouted from the front of her home. "You are not welcome here!"
Following Tuesday's afternoon demonstrations, massive crowds gathered in the streets later in the evening to continue mourning the victims of Saturday's hate-driven atrocity, which left 11 dead and several more injured.
"As we're grieving, we recognize that the murder of 11 Jews on Shabbat did not happen in a vacuum--this violence is part of white nationalism. White nationalism targets a rotating cast of scapegoats with violence," IfNotNow, an American Jewish advocacy group that helped organize Tuesday's protests, declared in a series of tweets on Tuesday. "Nationalism, anti-Semitism, and white nationalism cannot be allowed to exist in our city. We have seen this before--here, and in countries our ancestors fled. For many of us, our families came to this country to escape brutal leaders like Trump."
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This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. In a few short weeks, US voters will have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. Our Fall Campaign is underway, and we need your help. To power our newsroom through the rest of the year, we need to raise $125,000 by midnight on October 31. So if you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
As President Donald Trump arrived in Pittsburgh on Tuesday amid opposition from local officials and activists who argued the man responsible for stirring so much racist hatred should not visit the site of a deadly mass shooting motivated by anti-Semitism, thousands of peaceful demonstrators flooded the streets near the Tree of Life synagogue to condemn Trump's embrace of white nationalism and demand that he end his assault on immigrants, refugees, and other minority communities.
"The shooting is almost like a manifestation of his hate that really hits home. I wanted to let him know we do not want him here."
--Elisa BorreroWhile the protestors and mourners were barred from approaching the synagogue as Trump lit memorial candles near the site of the deadliest attack on Jews in American history, reporters who accompanied the president said they could hear the chants and songs of protestors who marched down nearby streets.
As Trump attempted to leave the synagogue, police rushed to carve out a path for the presidential motorcade--but Trump was ultimately forced to take a different route after authorities were overwhelmed by the sheer number of protestors filling the streets wielding signs that read "President Hate is not welcome in our state" and "Your words have consequences."
"The shooting is almost like a manifestation of his hate that really hits home," Elisa Borrero, a 26-year-old demonstrator and Pittsburgh resident, told Al Jazeera. "I wanted to let him know we do not want him here."
"He's fostered an administration of white supremacy and he is not welcome here in our time of mourning."
Trump's motorcade forced to turn around after thousands of protesters flood #Pittsburgh streets #strongerthanhatehttps://t.co/5MuNoohXG6 pic.twitter.com/9AJu5GpyRh
-- Julie Laumann (@Otpor17) October 30, 2018
Rev. Susan Rothenberg--who lives just a block away from this weekend's anti-Semitic attack--shouted "it's not about you!" as the president and First Lady Melania Trump arrived in Pittsburgh.
"Let the families grieve. This is our neighborhood," Rothenberg shouted from the front of her home. "You are not welcome here!"
Following Tuesday's afternoon demonstrations, massive crowds gathered in the streets later in the evening to continue mourning the victims of Saturday's hate-driven atrocity, which left 11 dead and several more injured.
"As we're grieving, we recognize that the murder of 11 Jews on Shabbat did not happen in a vacuum--this violence is part of white nationalism. White nationalism targets a rotating cast of scapegoats with violence," IfNotNow, an American Jewish advocacy group that helped organize Tuesday's protests, declared in a series of tweets on Tuesday. "Nationalism, anti-Semitism, and white nationalism cannot be allowed to exist in our city. We have seen this before--here, and in countries our ancestors fled. For many of us, our families came to this country to escape brutal leaders like Trump."
As President Donald Trump arrived in Pittsburgh on Tuesday amid opposition from local officials and activists who argued the man responsible for stirring so much racist hatred should not visit the site of a deadly mass shooting motivated by anti-Semitism, thousands of peaceful demonstrators flooded the streets near the Tree of Life synagogue to condemn Trump's embrace of white nationalism and demand that he end his assault on immigrants, refugees, and other minority communities.
"The shooting is almost like a manifestation of his hate that really hits home. I wanted to let him know we do not want him here."
--Elisa BorreroWhile the protestors and mourners were barred from approaching the synagogue as Trump lit memorial candles near the site of the deadliest attack on Jews in American history, reporters who accompanied the president said they could hear the chants and songs of protestors who marched down nearby streets.
As Trump attempted to leave the synagogue, police rushed to carve out a path for the presidential motorcade--but Trump was ultimately forced to take a different route after authorities were overwhelmed by the sheer number of protestors filling the streets wielding signs that read "President Hate is not welcome in our state" and "Your words have consequences."
"The shooting is almost like a manifestation of his hate that really hits home," Elisa Borrero, a 26-year-old demonstrator and Pittsburgh resident, told Al Jazeera. "I wanted to let him know we do not want him here."
"He's fostered an administration of white supremacy and he is not welcome here in our time of mourning."
Trump's motorcade forced to turn around after thousands of protesters flood #Pittsburgh streets #strongerthanhatehttps://t.co/5MuNoohXG6 pic.twitter.com/9AJu5GpyRh
-- Julie Laumann (@Otpor17) October 30, 2018
Rev. Susan Rothenberg--who lives just a block away from this weekend's anti-Semitic attack--shouted "it's not about you!" as the president and First Lady Melania Trump arrived in Pittsburgh.
"Let the families grieve. This is our neighborhood," Rothenberg shouted from the front of her home. "You are not welcome here!"
Following Tuesday's afternoon demonstrations, massive crowds gathered in the streets later in the evening to continue mourning the victims of Saturday's hate-driven atrocity, which left 11 dead and several more injured.
"As we're grieving, we recognize that the murder of 11 Jews on Shabbat did not happen in a vacuum--this violence is part of white nationalism. White nationalism targets a rotating cast of scapegoats with violence," IfNotNow, an American Jewish advocacy group that helped organize Tuesday's protests, declared in a series of tweets on Tuesday. "Nationalism, anti-Semitism, and white nationalism cannot be allowed to exist in our city. We have seen this before--here, and in countries our ancestors fled. For many of us, our families came to this country to escape brutal leaders like Trump."