Two days ahead of Donald Trump’s inauguration, chants of “No Trump! No KKK! No Fascist USA!” echoed off the Victorian facade of Cincinnati’s Music Hall.
It came from a crowd of about 100 people gathered outside in Cincinnati’s Washington Park on a gray and rainy Saturday morning.
Protesters at the rally organized by the Cincinnati chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America saw it as a way to do something positive ahead of the inauguration. It was also an opportunity to vent.
“I’ve heard that angry women can change the world, and if that’s the case, then the world is in for a reckoning,” said Karina Bravo, a sex educator with Planned Parenthood, to the crowd. “Because I know I’m pretty pissed the (expletive) off.”
The roster of speakers included union leaders and social activists who inveighed about concerns of losing abortion access and transgender rights. They spoke about the plight of the working class and fears of mass deportations. Signs of “Stop Fascism!” and similar sentiments bobbed up and down as the crowd cheered.
Many at the rally were members of socialist organizations and community activists. Some were new to politics, motivated by fears of what Trump might do. This was Ashlyn Sanders’ first political rally. The 22-year-old Silverton resident and social worker just graduated Kentucky State University.
Ire at Democrats as well – and worry over TikTok ban
She felt the rights of women, Black people and others are in jeopardy. She cited Trump’s disparaging comments about African countries as an example of why she’s so concerned.
“I’m more of a person who goes off morals and morally, he doesn’t even see everybody as the same,” Sanders said about her opinion of Trump. “He really belittles people and doesn’t see us all the same.”
The crowd didn’t just criticize Republicans and Trump. Speakers also directed their ire at the Democrats, with one speaker calling them the “lesser of two evils.” The looming federal ban of the social media site TikTok, a ban that both Democrats and Republicans supported, also concerned multiple rallygoers, who told The Enquirer they saw the ban as an infringement of free speech.
The two-hour demonstration went off with only one confrontational moment. A heckler carrying a small dachshund-like dog interrupted the speeches as she walked by and sang, or more like shouted, a rendition of “God Bless America.” She then started arguing with some of the attendees about free speech before she was ushered away by a friend.
The rally ended with a quick march around Washington Park.
As Carmelita Doyle left the rally, she told her daughter she was glad she came. The 71-year-old from Greenhills wanted to find out ways to get involved. She’s not sure what organizations she might join but knows she wants to get more active politically in the next year.
“I had so much enthusiasm before the election results, and I was so positive about things,” Doyle said. “I don’t want to go negative just because my person didn’t win. I want to keep my momentum going.”
