PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Hundreds of protesters gathered at the Stadium Complex in South Philadelphia Saturday evening to greet President Donald Trump during his first visit to Pennsylvania in his second term, where he attended the college wrestling championships.
Trump and Elon Musk were the target of chants as nearly 300 protestors lined Pattison Avenue, calling out some of the president’s recent actions. They compared him to a king and demanded a defense of democracy. Some honked in support as they drove by in their cars and others screamed expletives in disagreement.
Marjaret O’Hara was one of the organizers of the protest of Trump’s arrival, which she said came together in just 48 hours.
“The reason I wanted to do this is I am a parent of two young children and I’m scared of what the world’s gonna look like for them,” she said.
One of her biggest concerns is the potential dismantling of the Department of Education, which Trump initiated this past week through an executive order.
“They are who makes sure your child is getting services in school, is being treated fairly,” said O’Hara.
The Department of Education cannot be fully dismantled without congressional approval, and early indicators suggest Trump lacks the necessary support.
MJ, another organizer, said there needs to be more pushback from the other side in Congress.
“You have the power to do something about it. Don’t just sit there, don’t finger waggle… do something…” said MJ.
“We have to have more people that are speaking out beyond corporate interests, and for the common people.”