Editor’s note: Dr. Arthur Donart, thecity1.com columnist, participated in the Black Monday protest. He submitted the photos with his article. Click here to read a companion news piece.
Several thousand demonstrators assembled in front of the U. S. Supreme Court Building Monday night, January 30, 2017, from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. EST, to protest President Donald Trump’s immigration ban. They chanted, “Value love, not hate; let the people immigrate.” Another chant, “Build the wall,” came from the north side of the group, while the south side responded, “We’ll tear it down.” Then the group shouted in unison, “This is what democracy looks like.”
I visited with the Police who were charged with keeping the demonstrators off the steps of the Supreme Court. They would not let me walk up a couple steps to get a good picture above the crowd. Crowd numbers are a sensitive issue with the President. I told them I hoped the President didn’t rescind President Obama’s overtime order, because they deserved it.
Also, I suggested it would be nice if some organization, demonstrators, etc. would bring coffee for them. The crowd was very respectful of the Police and each other.
There was plenty of reason to demonstrate. President Trump had just fired the acting Attorney General of the United States. Why? Because Sally Q. Yates would not allow the Justice Department lawyers to defend Trump’s “unconstitutional and illegal” Executive Order. By 11:00 p.m. she had been fired and escorted out of her office.
Also fired was Daniel Ragsdale, the Chief of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, who apparently was too soft on undocumented immigrants.
Black Monday is reminiscent of President Nixon’s 1973 Department of Justice resignations.