Utah SDS leads walkout, 1500 march in Salt Lake City to protest Trump inauguration
Salt Lake City, UT- On Jan. 19, 50 University of Utah students walked out of their classes at 11:50 a.m. to protest the Trump inauguration. The students marched despite a university-wide memo stating they will “not be excused.” Led by Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), they gathered at Library Plaza to speak out against Trump’s bigoted agenda and demand a sanctuary campus for undocumented immigrant students.
“We have the power to take action and organize. The progressive people of Utah, from schools, work places, and communities support the struggle against racism, sexism, ableism and LGBT discrimination. We stand with immigrants to defend their rights!” said Shirley Reyes of SDS.
The students marched through heavy snow and in to the Administration Building chanting loudly, “Trump says go back! We say fight back!” Security was called, while the students delivered a 600-person petition to the university president's desk.
Mass march through heart of SLC
The next day, on the evening of Jan. 20, 1500 people marched through the heart of downtown Salt Lake City to protest the inauguration of Donald Trump. Starting at the Wallace F. Bennett Federal Building, chants echoed through the crowd, “Racist, sexist, anti-gay, Donald Trump go away!” and “Education not deportation!”
“Trump's agenda is absolutely horrifying. His plans for healthcare, foreign policy, immigration and much more are disgusting!” said rally host Abby Stover with the University of Utah SDS.
“Now at the top of Trump and the Republican-controlled Congress’s agenda are ‘Right to work’ laws which force unions to represent all workers, but doesn't require any of them to pay the dues unions need to represent workers effectively. The only hope of killing these laws is our resistance,” said Nick Godfrey, a Teamster at UPS.
The march passed the City Creek Mall, which was heavily guarded by police. The large crowd then occupied Main and South Temple Streets, a busy intersection.
Gabriella Killpack, an anti-war activist and Teamster, took the megaphone and said, “We’re here in the center of downtown, right by the Mormon Temple, to show the country that we won’t bow down to Trump as the Mormon Tabernacle did today.”
“Our call to action for the next four years and for however long the wealthy ruling class is in power is to build strong people’s organizations,” commented Theresa Nielson, a march organizer and member of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization.
The march proceeded up State Street to finish at the Utah State Capitol.