RHIANNON BERG, News Editor; bergau@plu.edu
This story is ongoing and will be updated as more information becomes available.
More than 300 Pacific Lutheran University students gathered at 10 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 8, in Red Square to voice their opinions on the outcome of the presidential election.
Before the final election results had been announced, members of the PLU community took to Facebook to plan a meeting in Red Square and march through PLU’s campus to voice their opinions on Trump winning the 2016 presidential election.
Junior Iana Mae Abinales posted on Facebook, “Trump is currently winning. Starting in Red Square 10:30pm or so, people are meeting to boycott and making noise against this decision. Maybe we can’t change the decision but we can voice that this decision is outrageous.”
Students gathered in Red Square and multiple students gave speeches from the steps of the Karen Hille Phillips Center for the Performing Arts.
Live video coverage from last night:
A student who has asked to remain anonymous for safety reasons addressed the crowd and said, “There are people, like me and others in this community, who put our bodies on the line everyday and today is the day that you stand up for them.”
“If you’re not gonna stand up for justice with your whole body then why are you standing?” she asked the crowd.
The student protesters walked towards Hong Hall while chanting, “Love trumps hate.” They paused outside of Ordal Hall and chanted “No justice, no peace.” A few students came outside to join the protest while others in nearby residence halls looked through windows and held up their phones to take photos and videos of the protest.
Alumna Alison Haywood tweeted, “Proud of the students of my alma mater for standing up for what they believe in. Stay strong.”
Proud of the students of my alma mater for standing up for what they believe in. Stay strong. @PLUNEWS https://t.co/vIpZJuixql
— Alison Haywood (@alison_haywood) November 9, 2016
As the protest moved to lower campus a few students standing near Pflueger and Tingelstad Halls began chanting “Go Trump” and “Do your homework.” They declined to give comments for this story.
Students participating in the protest responded to the students chanting pro-Trump slogans by chanting “Build bridges not walls.”
The protest paused outside of the Anderson University Center on lower campus. Multiple students who were voicing oppositional opinions, such as “Vote Trump,” approached members of the protest.
Junior Michael Diambri posted on Twitter about these differing opinions.
The Trump supporters trying to antagonize us while we were using our right to peacefully assemble is a reminder… bigotry is everywhere.
— Michael Diambri (@diambreezy) November 9, 2016
Senior Bastian McKeen tweeted in response to students wearing T-shirts with PLU Football logos who accompanied the smaller group of protestors.
who knew that EMAL was such a symbol of white nationalism on our campus??? after tonight???? Literally EVERYBODY@PLUNEWS @golutes
— B (@Mckdizzzzle) November 9, 2016
Senior Arika Matoba tweeted about how this protest affected how she felt about her personal safety.
I’ve always felt safe at PLU holding hands with my gf, but after hearing Trump supporters on campus tonight I’m fearful. @PLUMast
— Arika Matoba (@arikamatoba) November 9, 2016
The protest moved through the AUC and reconvened in Red Square.
A group of about 40 students who had followed the protest up from lower campus gathered by the bell across from the protesters and began playing music and singing lyrics from Steam’s song “Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye.”
Sophomore Ethan McElderry, a member of the PLU football team, shook his head and said, “The funny thing is, if we did something like this, if Hillary had won…”
Senior Adam Wilson said, “It feels like we should be getting together and trying to solve issues rather than just separating each other.” Wilson said he voted for Trump but has “high respect for people who voted for Clinton.”
“I just feel like both views should be shared,” he said. “It should be like talking about issues and trying to work as a country rather than separating each other.”
Wednesday, Nov. 9:
President Krise sent a message to to PLU campus community Wednesday morning asking students to join him in Red Square from 5 to 6:15 p.m. to “continue to make meaning of the 2016 elections results, to listen to each other, and to work to heal the divisions in our country.”
He wrote, “Now is the time for more civic engagement, more conversation, more empathy, more leadership. Lutes need to show others in the communities we touch how to rebuild confidence in our institutions, how to step up to right wrongs, how to reach out to protect the vulnerable. It is in times like these that our values and our faith are most tested.”
Check out protest footage here: https://youtu.be/jW7_xr205vc
This story was edited Nov. 15 to remove the name of a source who asked to be kept anonymous for safety reasons.
