(The Center Square) − Thousands of New Orleans demonstrators paraded from the corner of Mandeville and Decatur near the French Quarter to Washington Square Park in opposition to President Donald Trump’s crackdown on immigration.
New Orleans was one of more than 2,000 U.S. cities where protesters gathered on Saturday in opposition to Trump’s deportations of noncitizens in the U.S. illegally. The protests were dubbed “No Kings.”
The Center Square observed no violent or otherwise destructive conduct from protesters.
Signs held by protesters compared the Trump administration to the German Nazi Party, a “circus” and a “disease.” Protesters chanted “No Trump, No KKK, No Racist USA,” “F*** Donald Trump,” and “86 47,” a reference that some say means kill Trump, the 47th president of the U.S. In restaurant and bar lingo, to “86” something means to cancel it or remove it from the menu.
“Immigrations and Customs Enforcement think nothing of taking people off the street,” Mark Ellis, a California native, told The Center Square.
“ICE is running into cars, dragging people out,” said David Dlamini.
Trump campaigned and won on closing the border and deporting many of those who had illegally entered the U.S. As of April 28, the Trump administration has deported 139,000 individuals, according to the White House. Saturday was the first time an organized nationwide protest was held in response.
Last week, Los Angeles police fought off often violent riotsers who interfered with and sometimes attacked iCE agents.
Fireworks and large rocks were thrown at police, several stores were looted and cars were set on fire.
The New Orleans Police Department had a presence during the protest, but no instances of confrontation occurred. Sergeant Evan Cox smiled and nodded politely at protesters as they paraded by, and protesters returned the niceties.
Asked what the protocol was when it came to handling protests, Cox said that “we defer to the First Amendment.” If any protesters devolve into destructive conduct, “we would consider that in totality of the protest.”
Protesters took the opportunity to holler and hoot about other issues, including transgender rights and the war in Gaza.
