Jeremiah Tattersall pointed to Gainesville’s anti-discrimination plaque inside City Hall on Thursday.
“It’s beautiful,” he said.
The Gainesville resident had just described instances of “hate crimes and hate speech” happening in the city to Mayor Lauren Poe and the City Commission during the public comment portion of its meeting.
As dozens of others gathered on street corners across the city to protest President-elect Donald Trump, Tattersall spoke calmly into a microphone and described a second- grader in the city who refused to let a Hispanic classmate into his group, claiming “Trump is going to deport him.”
He also told them about his friend who received so many death threats she had to give her phone over to Gainesville Police.
“That’s what’s going on in this community right now,” he said.
Blocks from City Hall, at the intersection of West University Avenue and South Main Street, cars honked in approval at a group of about 20 protesters waving anti-Trump signs and gay-pride flags.
The protest was one of six organized Thursday by the Gainesville City of Resistance, a Facebook group created after the election to resist the real estate mogul’s past remarks and proposed policies. On Saturday, the group plans to march “against fear” from the Stephen C. O’Connell Center to Bo Diddley Community Plaza.
Bruce Frendahl, a Gainesville resident participating in the protest, said if Trump follows through with his plan to deport millions of undocumented immigrants, he’s going to protest on the steps of the White House.
“I’m a little upset with the election,” the 63-year-old said.
Emily Ott, a 31-year-old Gainesville resident, joined him, condemning Trump’s proposal to create a registry system for Muslims in the country.
“My heritage is Jewish,” she said, “and I haven’t forgotten the Holocaust.”
While protesters waved signs, one reading “Trump is not my president,” a man in a truck drove by with a large confederate flag waving behind.
“Go Trump!,” he shouted before driving past.
At the intersection of West University Avenue and Southwest 13th Street, about a dozen protesters were met with a similar reaction.
Less than an hour after the protest began, Tommy Grooms stood across the street from the protesters, wearing a blue shirt that read “Trump” — and holding a sign that said “You Lost / Go Home.” As he drove by earlier, he noticed the protesters, so he decided to buy a sign at Office Depot.
He said he campaigned and voted for Trump because of his stance on immigration and foreign policy, and that Trump’s rhetoric did not phase him.
“I just saw them protesting a totally fair election,” he said.
On the corner of 34th Street and Archer Road, Gainesville resident Jessica Adams dressed as Rosie the Riveter and protested with her son.
“I think the electoral system was supposed to prevent people like Donald Trump from gaining the presidency,” the 34-year-old said. “This is a clear sign that the system is not functioning.”
Eight-year-old Jackson Adams jumped up and down as he held a sign reading “Save my Planet,” which he helped his mom decorate. He seemed relieved that he and his mom didn’t get any backlash.
“I was afraid someone would try to say nasty stuff or try to attack us,” he said
Gabriel Pelegrina arrived on Turlington Plaza at 4 p.m., expecting to meet other anti-Trump protesters.
After waiting around for about half an hour, the 19-year-old noticed no one was coming, so he went to Marston Science Library to print out some signs and hold a one-man protest.
The UF exploratory engineering freshman stood on a table holding a sign that read “Climate Change is Real.” He didn’t let the lack of support stop him from protesting.
“It kinda hurts,” he said, “but it’s OK. Everyone needs to do something to stand up for what they believe in.”
A painting of Donald Trump crossed out sits on the corner of University Avenue and Main Street during a protest of the results of the presidential election. The protest was one of six happening simultaneously on Thursday in Gainesville.
