Before Trump's inauguration, opponents show up to San Francisco's Women's March
On the weekend before Donald Trump's inauguration, opponents were gathering for a nationwide Women's March. In San Francisco, those who fear what a second Trump presidency might mean were making it clear that the resistance is already underway.
Organizers of San Francisco's Women's March decided to merge their event with a group in the Mission District protesting the mass deportations that could begin as early as Tuesday. City Attorney David Chiu warned the crowd about what he thinks the city could be facing in the days to come.
"San Francisco is a proud sanctuary city," said Chiu. "As a former civil rights attorney, I'm heartbroken about the civil rights that are about to be violated. As your city attorney, I am heartbroken that, on Monday, we are about to inaugurate a president who does not respect the rule of law and is going to violate the United States Constitution."
As the march began, from the heart of the Mission District to Dolores Park, organizer Roberto Hernandez said he didn't think President-elect Trump has really put much thought into the plan to deport all undocumented immigrants.
"Because if you really study and look at the immigrant population in this country today, the economy would collapse," said Hernandez. "And it's inhumane to deport people who have been working 30-40 years as the nannies, as the dishwashers, as the janitors, and the essential workers of this country. Let's stand up for them these next four years."
There was also a lot of outrage from those who believe women's rights, specifically reproductive rights, are at risk.
"What we are fighting for, or fighting against," said Sherry Alcock from Brentwood, "are things that have happened--things they've said they want to happen. So, we're here to say we're not going to go quietly. We're not going to go backwards."
And San Francisco resident Jim Martinez said he thought Trump's victory over Kamala Harris was the result of a backlash over women gaining more power in society.
"The men are not being powerful, like before, and now the women are getting more powerful. And the men are being threatened by that. And they're masking it, they're like little boys inside them. 'Oh, they're taking our manhood' and all this stuff, you know?"
There was also concern about billionaires influencing social policy under the Trump administration. For the first time, Tina Caputo from Petaluma said she fears the country could be on the path to becoming an oligarchy.
"It seems like people like Elon Musk, who are tech billionaires, and all these people that Trump is surrounding himself with seem like they do not have a connection to everyday people and they don't really care what happens to everyday people," she said.
The protestors said there are huge issues at stake, including democracy itself. But for a small group of Trump supporters at the march, it boiled down to one issue, fears over the rise of transgender rights. Beth Bourne said she used to be a Democrat until she became alarmed by the idea that people could choose what gender identity they wanted.
"I'm just here because we need to wake up," said Bourne. "This should not be a political issue. Girls, boys, they're being harmed by this ideology. So, Trump has promised on his first day in office, that he will return to sports, so sports for girls and women will again be only for females."
After an election that focused almost entirely on stoking fear, it's probably not surprising that many people are fearful of what President Trump might do. And before he even takes office, they are already gearing up for battle.
