On the evening of February 4, Donald Trump, ensconced in his Palm Beach Estate, may have heard the calls of 4,000 protesters in their energy-filled march on Mar-a-Lago.
“March-a-Lago” began at West Palm Beach and lined the coast for as far as the eye could see. Protestors wearing strings of LED Christmas lights around their necks, carrying glow sticks, flashlights, light-up hula hoops and creatively decorated signs marched 2.5 miles through the warm Florida air toward what Trump calls the “winter White House.”
The march was set to end at the bridge that connects the main land to Palm Beach but, upon reaching it, the chanting and singing crowd pushed on, crossing Flagler Bridge toward Trump’s beachfront property.
The march fell on the same weekend as the annual Red Cross Ball, which was held in an elegant ballroom on the estate. More than 500 guests were in attendance and, protesters hoped, were at least somewhat aware of the powerful action and activism transpiring just beyond the glow of their elite and cushy social scene. One protest participant, Sandy Kaye, said, “Maybe they can’t hear everything we’re saying if they’re in the ballroom right now, but I’m pretty sure they’re going to have to turn the music up louder to drown us out.”
The immediate issue being raised by the protest was Trump’s executive order barring immigrants from seven predominately Muslim countries: Iran, Iraq, Somalia, Sudan, Libya and Yemen for 90 days. However, rally participants’ signs addressed issues such as climate denial, refugee entry, and resistance of the hate that has driven most of Trump’s policy-setting and decision-making in thenweeks since his inauguration.
Johnathon Ullman, a Sierra Club organizer from Miami, was excited to see such a large turnout. “Being part of such a large mass of people marching together was affirmation for me that our new president’s actions are not ordinary, will not be normalized, and will be met with resistance,” Ullman commented. “Our American values and rights are being trampled on.” Ullman was pleasantly surprised to discover that despite people being angry about the current state of the country, the protest was positive, energetic, and even jubilant. “We can be upset,” said Ullman, “but we can also feel proud and encouraged in our unity.”
The march on Mar-a-Lago is just one instance of hundreds of protests that have been sprouting up from grassroots beginnings all over the globe in response to Trump’s actions as president. In a time of chaos and trauma, thousands are letting their voices be heard and taking comfort in the presence of like-minded individuals.