Group holds anti-Trump rally outside federal courthouse in Las Vegas
About 50 people attended an anti-Trump rally on Presidents Day outside the Lloyd George U.S. Courthouse in downtown Las Vegas.
The protest was organized by the Sierra Club, and the main speaker, Christian Gerlach, is the club’s community organizer.
“This isn’t so much an anti-Trump protest as it is a rally to let people know they have power over the president,” Gerlach said. “There’s a lot of policies that have hurt people, and we are here to make sure that people know they have the power to affect these executive orders.”
Several people spoke during the rally, including Micajah Daniels, vice president of UNLV’s Black Lives Matter chapter.
“In regards to environmental issues, race is one of the biggest factors to environmental pollution and other toxic wastes,” Daniels said, citing the water crisis in Flint, Michigan.
Other protesters also cited environmental concerns, such as the Keystone XL and Dakota Access oil pipelines, as their reason for attending the rally.
“It’s not a question of if these pipelines will leak, it’s when,” James Katz, a Las Vegas native, said.
A few cars that drove past the rally showed their displeasure by heckling the protesters and honking loudly. One driver in particular cursed at the crowd before shouting, “Trump is your president!”
Other issues, such as the travel ban and President Donald Trump’s cabinet appointees, also brought members of the Las Vegas community out to protest.
Contact Gabriella Benavidez at gbenavidez@reviewjournal.com or at 702-387-5278. Follow @gabbydeebee on Twitter.
