Students at Montgomery Blair High School walk out to protest President-elect Trump
WASHINGTON (ABC7) — It was an in-your-face protest, involving hundreds of high school students, angry about the election of Donald Trump as president
“Right now we have a president-elect who is racist, homophobic, sexist, and we don't agree with it, said Eli Miller, a 16-year-old student from Northwood High School. “That’s democracy, and we’re going to fight it.”
The walkout began Monday morning began during a planned protest at Montgomery Blair High School.
School officials had earlier sent out a notice it was "taking a constructive approach to ensure that students remain safe on campus and that there will be minimum disruption to the school day and their learning."
The idea was to have a peaceful protest at the school’s football field.
About 800 students attended the event.
The plan was for students to return to classes by 11 a.m.
But it didn’t happen.
“The principal's okay with it within the school,” says student D.J. Mamo. “We decided our voices were not being heard. We decided to walk down University Boulevard.”
An ABC7 Camera crew got caught right in the middle of it -- with students shouting "not my president" and "this is what democracy looks like."
“He's not a good president, he doesn't deserve to be president,” said Mary Williams.
Carrying signs and chanting anti-Trump slogans, the students, some as young as 15 years old, marched toward Wheaton Mall, then went onto the property and walked to a parking deck.
“A lot of them are feeling fear, they’re feeling scared as a result of the recent election,” says Reverend Jeffrey Timms, of the Norbeck Community Church.
Timms heard about the students marching, and went out to join them.
“Allowing them to understand that their voice matters, that they matter, that they have the ability to affect change,” he added.
Police say despite jammed sidewalks, and some students walking in the street, no one was hurt.
Authorities say at one point, someone threw a bottle.
“We’re most concerned with everyone’s safety in the area, and property as well,” says Captain Paul Starks, a Montgomery County Police spokesperson. ”Trying to urge them, to advise them to stay off the roadway, but on the sidewalk.”
The students headed down Georgia Avenue, telling reporters they hoped to walk all the way to the District.
Police were forced to begin rolling road closures, which led to some major traffic tie-ups.
Many streets in Downtown Silver Spring were filled with police vehicles, anticipating the student protestors’ eventual destination, Veterans Plaza, which is where hundreds of them arrived by the early afternoon.
“If there are consequences, makeup school or whatever, they’ll be willing to do that,” says Debbie Lewin, a former educator. “I don't think this should be a free day for them to have fun. I would like to see some of the teachers use this experience in their classrooms tomorrow, to talk about it, process it.”
A school spokesperson says students who left the Blair campus without permission will be penalized with an unexcused absence.
“We just decided you know, to show the world what we're made of,” Helsing says. “That's kind of what we did.”
This is just one of many protests happening around the country since Donald Trump was elected almost a week ago.
Last week, several hundred people took to the streets of WashingtonD.C., Baltimore, Las Vegas, New York City, Portland, and more.
One protest in Portland, Ore. turned violent Thursday evening as anarchists burned flags, broke store windows and damaged cars.