Anti-Trump Protests In Philly for 2nd Straight Night

Protesters gathered at the Municipal Services Building across from City Hall before marching around town to protest Donald Trump’s victory in the presidential election.

As they did across the country, anti-Donald Trump protests took place in Philadelphia for the second consecutive night. Protesters gathered just after 5 p.m. outside the Municipal Services Building at 15th and JFK Boulevard, and marched throughout the city. About 1,000 protesters marched from MSB to 30th Street, per police. Protests then splintered, with groups marching up Broad Street into North Philadelphia, others going down Locust Street in Center City. Other groups were near the Art Museum and other parts of downtown.

Portland police said protests there turned into a “riot,” but Philadelphia police said protesters here were angry but mostly peaceful. The only apparent incidents of vandalism during anti-Trump protests in Philly were some “Not My President” tags on City Hall.

Wednesday night’s protests were led by Philadelphia’s Socialist Alternative, which encouraged attendees to get involved with the group in the city. Last night’s protests were larger than Wednesday’s, and turned into a march much faster.

Protesters have not said they are interested in changing the results of the election. (Well, they would if they could, but they seem to know it’s not realistic.) But protesters I’ve talked to on both nights talked about feeling left out of Trump’s vision for America. They did not like his rhetoric during the election and disagree with his policies.

Or: They worry what Trump will try to do to Philadelphia, a city that voted heavily against him. They agree with Harry Reid: If people want healing and unity after the election, the groper-in-chief needs to reach out.

How will Trump react? Who knows. On Wednesday night he tweeted that the protests were “very unfair!” By this morning he was downplaying the protests as “small” and saying, “We will all come together and be proud!” For now, though, the protests will likely continue.

Follow @dhm on Twitter.