Protesters rally at SF Civic Center against travel ban, border wall
Thousands of protesters gathered Saturday afternoon in San Francisco’s Civic Center Plaza, holding signs as they lambasted President Trump and his immigration policies.
The goal, according to organizers, was to rally in support of all cultures while opposing two of Trump’s executive orders: one banning travelers and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries and another initiating construction of a wall at the Mexican border.
A diverse crowd coming from BART trains filled the plaza before the 3 p.m. start time, carrying a variety of signs ranging from “No Ban No Wall” to “Never Again United We Stand.”
The protest, billed as a “peaceful, inclusive” event, was expected to draw at least 6,000, with more than 9,000 posting their plans to attend on Facebook, according to organizers.
The efforts have targeted the president’s nominees for Cabinet posts, as well as policy pronouncements on immigration, health care and the environment.
Saturday saw nationwide protests from Washington, D.C., to West Palm Beach, Fla., where marchers were bound for Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort while the president visited there for the weekend.
A rally Wednesday night in Berkeley, protesting the speaking engagement of right-wing provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos as well as Trump’s policies, turned violent, causing an estimated $100,000 in damage and resulting in one arrest.