Protesters denounce Trump before Army-Navy game
Mayor Pugh hands the President-elect a letter outlining Baltimore’s needs
Above: At Baltimore’s McKeldin Square, demonstrators protest President-elect Donald Trump. (Fern Shen)
With President-Elect Donald Trump scheduled to attend today’s Army-Navy football game, demonstrators massed in downtown Baltimore carrying signs protesting all the ills they said the new administration would bring to the country: “Racism, sexism, fascism.”
“No hate, no fear! Immigrants are welcome here!” chanted the group, which assembled at McKeldin Square at the Inner Harbor and eventually swelled to about 150. “No Trump, no KKK, no fascist USA.”
Standing among them was a silent protester whose message was targeted to the military-themed event that brought the real-estate-mogul-and-reality-show-host-turned-political-leader to the city.
“Trump unfit to lead the military,” said the sign Tyler Quinn held.
Tyler Quinn protests Donald Trump before the Army-Navy football game, held this year in Baltimore. (Fern Shen)
Army cadets staged at Oriole Park before marching in formation to the Army-Navy game at M & T Bank Stadium. (Fern Shen)
Asked why he chose that message, Quinn said he was troubled by Trump’s “total lack of experience in government and foreign policy.”
“My family has a history in the military,” Quinn said. “I thought it was important to speak out about that, for them.”
Rejecting Trump’s Agenda
The protest came together after Trump announced his plan to attend the 117th game between the football teams from the military academies at West Point and Annapolis.
It also followed on the heels of passage, by the newly-sworn-in Baltimore City Council, of a resolution condemning Trump.
Charlie Kerr, of the umbrella group Mid-Atlantic General Defense Committee, said protesters believe a Trump administration represents a threat to many.
“It threatens us based on gender, it threatens us based on race, it threatens us based on immigration status and it threatens us based on homophobia,” Kerr said.
“We wanted to make sure at Trump’s first event here after the election that we don’t allow him to make it a celebratory occasion,” Kerr said. “We want to make it clear the people of Baltimore don’t stand with him and won’t stand for his agenda.
Marchers protesting Donald Trump before the Army-Navy game. (Fern Shen)
The anti-Trump group marched along Pratt Street. (Fern Shen)
As they chanted and marched – circling the periphery of M&T Bank Stadium but never pushing past lined-up police officers – the marchers passed by the throngs of spectators.
There were occasional honks of support from some motorists and pointed mockery from others. One rolled down his car window and yelled the Trump slogan “Make America great again!”
There were plenty in the crowd wearing Army or Navy colors, but as for pro-Trump signage, caps or swag, there was very little.
One man walking toward the tailgate area was doing his best to correct that – he was holding an armload of red Trump tee shirts.
“I’m selling these for $20,” he said.
Before the Army-Navy game, a local man hawks Trump tee shirts. (Fern Shen)
Mayor Catherine Pugh, meanwhile, gave Trump something to take back to Washington from Baltimore:a letter outlining the city’s most pressing needs. It was a gesture she said she would make during her inaugural speech on Tuesday.
Accompanying a photo that apears to have been taken at the stadium, she tweeted:
“With @realDonaldTrump in Baltimore I delivered a letter noting importance of our infrastructure needs & need for investment of federal funds.”
At the Mayor Catherine Pugh hands a letter to Donald Trump noting Baltimore’s “needs.” (@Mayor_Pugh)