Large Crowds of EvCC Students Attend Trump Rally in Lynden

Jose+Sierra+%28left%29+Jaime+Zaragoza%2C+Jose+Mariscal+and+Juan+Carlos+Macias+hold+signs+of+protest+at+the+Trump+rally+in+Lynden%2C+WA+on+May+7%2C+2016.+

Sergio Huacuja

Jose Sierra (left) Jaime Zaragoza, Jose Mariscal and Juan Carlos Macias hold signs of protest at the Trump rally in Lynden, WA on May 7, 2016.

Donald Trump brought out many supporters and protesters on May 7 in Lynden, Washington.

Lynden was Trump’s last stop in Washington, after being in Spokane earlier that day for another rally.

 

Three protesters were arrested while blocking a road in an attempt to prevent Trump from arriving near where Trump was to speak at the Northwest Washington Fair and Event Center, with a capacity of about 5,000 people.

Kok Road was divided with Trump supporters on one side and protesters on the other. Local police, state patrol and even Seattle police were present. Policemen stood in the middle dividing the protesters and the Trump supporters.

There were protesters from all over the Northwest. EvCC students, Sergio Barrera, Jaime Zaragoza, Juan Carlos Macias, Jose Sierra, Edith Hurtado, Alfredo Diaz and other former EvCC students attended the rally to protest.

EvCC student Sergio Barrera stands in protest along with young Antonio Mariscal at the Trump rally in Lynden, WA on May 7, 2016. Many protesters attending the rally from all over the Pacific Northwest.
Sergio Huacuja
EvCC student Sergio Barrera stands in protest along with young Antonio Mariscal at the Trump rally in Lynden, WA on May 7, 2016. Many protesters attending the rally from all over the Pacific Northwest.

The protest was peaceful. The worst things that were hurled across the street were insults.

Some protesters chanted “Black Lives Matter” and “Si Se Puede,” and a few waiting for Trump, yelled back “Go Home!” and “Get a job.”

“Our reason to be at the rally was to take a stand against racism, xenophobia, sexism, Islamophobia. And overall anti-immigrant rhetoric that Trump and his supporters have,” said  Barrera.

There was also protester holding Bernie Sanders banner’s showing support towards the Democratic nominee. Zaragoza was not thrilled with the Sander’s supporters, because  “because Sanders has nothing to do with this.  We went to learn about other points of view, not endorse any candidate or political party”.

Clearly there was a lot of tension between the protester and Trump supporters, and a lot of emotions running through both sides, “It hurts knowing that entire families were mocking the anti-trump protesters, it was awakening to see people who look like me support him,” said Miriam Zaragoza a former EvCC student and sister of Zaragoza.

Barrera had his own opinion on politics, stating , “Our lives shouldn’t be based of politics. Our humanity goes beyond this political system.”