‘A movement, not a moment’: Rally held in Monroe Park on Inauguration Day

Emily Grinstead, Contributing Writer

Donald Trump was inaugurated Jan. 20 as the 47th president of the United States. The inauguration took place in the Capitol Rotunda in Washington D.C. due to inclement weather, according to Washington.org. Historically, inaugurations are held on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol.

The inauguration was expected to be attended by about 220,000 ticketed attendees. Only select attendees were seated inside the Capitol Rotunda for the ceremony.

Around 20,000 attendees were seated in Capital One Arena in northwest D.C. for the inaugural parade, which takes place following the ceremony. Others gathered on the National Mall outside the U.S. Capitol.

Thousands of people gathered in D.C. and across the country to protest President Trump on inauguration day, including a protest led by The Party for Socialism and Liberation in Monroe Park. 

The rally to “Defeat Trump’s Far-Right Billionaire Agenda” started in Monroe Park, followed by a march to the Virginia State Capitol.

Speakers from the Party for Socialism and Liberation, Sunrise Movement Richmond, VCU Young Democratic Socialists, College Socialists at William & Mary and William & Mary Students for Justice in Palestine were featured during the event.

Jason Brown II, a member of the Dinwiddie County School Board and an organizer with the Party for Socialism and Liberation for two years, said he defined the “far-right billionaire agenda” as “anti-human” and “anti-working class.” Brown said the policies Trump champions benefit the “ruling class.”

Brown said that housing, education and healthcare for all are achievable for everyone under a “working class agenda,” and a “billionaire agenda” would not prioritize these programs that benefit the working class.

“It isn’t until we have revolution, it isn’t until we have a reconstruction of society that we’ll be able to achieve all those things for the working class,” Brown said.

The rally’s speakers led several chants, including “Money for jobs and education, not for war and deportation.”

Brown said the movement will continue throughout Trump’s presidency through rallies, protests and “organized struggle.”

“This is not a moment,” Brown said. “This is a movement, and we’re expecting to not only be out here today, but they keep coming out because there is an agenda to defeat, and Trump is the spearhead for that.”

Caroline May, a fourth-year communication arts student, is part of the student environmental advocacy group at the university, Green Action. May described the rally as advocacy for “basic human rights” as well as environmental justice.

“I think it’s just people coming together to find community and solidarity,” May said.

Chloe Kent, a third-year environmental studies student, said this is her first experience protesting, and described her experience as “overwhelming.” Kent said there were many different groups and ideas being represented at the rally.

“We’re seeing climate activists, we’re seeing pro-Palestine, we’re seeing socialist movements,” Kent said. “I feel like everyone is generally dissatisfied and it’s showing in a lot of ways.”

Maya Jones, a fourth-year interdisciplinary studies student, described their experience during Trump’s first presidential term. Jones said they attended the rally for the “liberation of queer people.”

“I lived through the first Trump administration in North Carolina,” Jones said. “I know what it’s like to be a young trans queer person, be a young Black trans queer person, in a red state. We can’t have that.”

A number of attendees carried signs reading, “The People Will Defeat Trump’s Extreme-Right Agenda!” and “Workers Should Have Power Not The Billionaires!,” among others.

Joseph Friedman, a third-year sociology student, said he is concerned for the next four years of Trump’s presidency, yet expressed optimism for the movement.

“I think the people will only get stronger in the face of all the bad things that come,” Friedman said. “But I also think it’s going to be a dark four years and I’m worried about immigrants and trans people in particular.”

Qing Imzadi and his wife witnessed the march as it passed. Although neither were aware of the context of the rally, Qing said the political climate in Richmond is “passionate.”

“It’s really exciting, especially on a day like today where a lot of people have restless energy,” Imzadi said. “It’s exciting to see people using their voice.”