Detroit demands ‘Out of our city!’ during Trump’s visit
Detroit, MI – President Trump visited Detroit January 13, to promote the auto industry. His trip included a tour of the Ford factory in Dearborn and a visit to the Motor City Casino, where he was set to give a speech at the Detroit Economic Club.
Once the details of Trump’s visit were made public, the DROP Trump Coalition organized an emergency protest to say no to Trump and his racist agenda. Over 300 people rallied on the corner of Trumbull and Temple to show that his presence wasn’t welcome in Detroit.
Several organizations behind the DROP Trump Coalition were already planning to pack the city council meeting the same day as Trump’s visit, raising demands that would fight Trump’s reactionary agenda, including calling for a sanctuary city and for the city to divest from war profiteers. Almost 40 community members came to the council meeting in person, and more attended online via Zoom. Most of the comments made were about kicking ICE out of Detroit and demanding real, tough sanctuary policies.
Several people called out of work in order to attend the city council meeting, given the mobilization was planned over a month in advance by Detroit Community Action Committee and Detroit Anti-War Committee.
By the end of the meeting, council members moved to investigate the research presented by Detroit Anti-War Committee about the city’s $667 million invested in war profiteering contracts. Community members also demanded politicians support them in calling for Detroit to be a sanctuary city, and be ready and willing to resist ICE.
Then participants headed to the anti-Trump protest.
Speakers at the rally and march made it clear Detroit wanted Trump out of their city.
Marcel Ulacia, a member of the Detroit Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, stated, “Donald Trump you are not welcome here and neither are none of your jack boot thugs!”
Ulacia continued, “We need to ensure our communities are safe from this increased state repression from Trump. That’s why we advocate for community control of these dogs. We don’t need a budget increase for more weapons; we need to put them on a leash!”
Daniel Weber-Alatorre of Students for a Democratic Society at Wayne State University said, “Right here, five students were told by Wayne State that their visas had a, quote, ‘clerical error.’ When the students went to Wayne State for help, Wayne State told them to self-deport or they would send ICE after them. Just like city council, Wayne State is willing to feed its own students to these dogs.”
The anti-war movement also showed up. HighligJo Pico of Detroit Anti-War Committee stated, “There’s a reason why Trump is here today to speak to the Detroit Economic Club, which hosts Zionists like Dan Gilbert and his political allies like former Mayor Mike Duggan. Trump, like many of our politicians, sees war as a way to make himself and his friends richer. Because of that, this war on Venezuela does not shock us. Trump is too stupid to even hide his reasoning. He wants Venezuela’s gold, he wants their oil, he wants their country.”
Further connecting Trump’s attacks on Venezuela to the war he wages against the American people here at home, Jackson Robak from Freedom Road Socialist Organization states “Trump is waging a crazy war on both the nation of Venezuela and on the American people through his attempted war on the immigrants of the U.S. If we want to stop these crazy wars now is the time to organize, come together, and fight tooth and nail to make Trump unable to push through any of his monstrous policies on the ground and make this country ungovernable!”
It is clear the impact that Trump’s past year in office has had on countless oppressed peoples and various movements. These attacks will only continue and further escalate. At the same time, people continue to fight back, and more people continue to join the struggle. This day of resistance against Trump was proof that Detroit has stood up and will continue to fight back.