As the rally in support of visiting presidential candidate and supremely divisive figure Donald Trump drew to a close, the tension from individuals protesting some of his sentiments were just beginning to heat up.
Early on in the evening protesters played bongos, trumpets and chanted “Si se puede!” The evening turned rowdy, but many protesters were able to voice their opinions peacefully before things got too rowdy.
One UNM graduate student, Oliver Baker, proudly displaying his anti-Trump sign.
“I’m against Trump because he’s for the exploitation of the very people who are supporting him. I’m working class. I grew up working class,” he said. “This guy is gonna make it harder on my life and everyone else who works for a living.”
Yaquelin Orozco, a Guatemalan mother of two, attended the protest for her husband who was recently deported to Mexico.
“All of this, for me, feels personal” Orozco said.
Lisa Atwa, another protester, quoted Abraham Lincoln saying, “To sin by silence when they should protest makes cowards of men.”
Amid comments made by Trump throughout his campaign, Atwa was impacted by his anti-Muslim rhetoric.
“I think it’s very dangerous that he wishes to ban Muslims from our country. It’s not democratic. We should welcome all people here,” she said. “That’s how our country was founded and people came here for freedom.”
Atwa’s daughter, Heba Atwa-Kramer, said she stands by her mother and her people.
“We have to voice our opinions for those who cannot and do not necessarily have the opportunity to do that,” Atwa-Kramer said.
Being of mixed ethnicity, Atwa-Kramer said she is hopeful for a future of acceptance.
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“I hope to have a positive impact and I hope to help other people and inspire other people to come out and protest as Muslim-Americans, Arab-Americans and Middle Eastern-Americans,” she said. “We are part of the fabric of this country and we should be proud.”
Elliot Parras said instead of supporting Trump, he will be casting his ballot for Bernie Sanders.
When asked if Sanders supporters have anything in common with those rooting for Trump, Parras brought up an underlying issue.
“I think the biggest thing they have in common is that they’re tired of the current political situation,” he said.
Parras not worried about a Trump presidency, saying that if he gets elected there is a slim chance that any of his proposals will come to life due to a gridlocked Congress.
Tensions built between protesters and APD as the night went on, leading police to use smoke canisters and having to break up fights.
Kelly Peck, a Trump supporter, experienced the calm before and chaos after the storm.
“The organized democrats that were there in the beginning were kind and made their points with their signs,” she said. “The protesters at the end were very angry and bilge rant and almost gang related in feeling.”
Peck said individuals who arrived later in the night were revving up their motorcycles and in general acting more intimidating, but the police made her feel safe.
“The police force was so kind and helpful, not what it appears on television,” she said. “They detoured us all through the building away from those protesters throwing rocks at the glass and the ones who were out of hand.”
Trump vowed to return before the general election, most likely resulting in more protesters but protester Arthur Bell said he has hope.
“We can all be different and still love each other and come together for a common goal which is just to live and be happy on this Earth,” Bell said.
