West Michigan protest against Wall Street politician Donald Trump
Grand Rapids, MI – Wall Street politician Donald Trump was expecting a friendly reception at the Deltaplex Arena on the outskirts of a Grand Rapids industrial park. Instead Trump faced the largest protest seen at a Republican campaign rally in Grand Rapids for more than a generation.
200 protesters rallied against Trump in West Michigan on Dec. 21. Enthusiastic protesters chanted as cars drove past the entrance, “Hey Donnie! Let’s be clear, refugees are welcome here!” and “Dump Trump! Dump Trump!”
Mike DeRuiter, standing with a big “Dump Trump” banner said, “Look, the last thing we need is another Wall Street politician like Donald Trump. We are out here to oppose Trump and the Republican agenda of hate, fear and war.”
As another group for immigrant rights rallied across the road, DeRuiter said, “Immigrants contribute a lot to this country, while billionaires like Trump profit off of them. Trump wants to scapegoat Muslims and refugees when the real problem is Wall Street and its wars in the Middle East.”
Eleven different people disrupted Trump’s hour-long speech inside, as 7000 Trump supporters and curiosity seekers listened. Some began to leave before the hour-long speech was over, filing out in small groups.
Grand Rapids is the hometown of President Gerald R. Ford, infamous for pardoning impeached President Richard Nixon after the Watergate burglary scandal.