About 150 anti-Trump protesters rallied in downtown Syracuse Wednesday night. Protesters were angered by both Republicans and Democrats. They condemned Trump for what they said was bigoted rhetoric on the campaign trail that expressed Islamophobia and xenophobia.
But protesters also said it was unacceptable that President Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton called for unity and an open mind about Trump.
Local musician and activist in Syracuse, Joe Driscoll, said he was not surprised by the election results.
“America wanted change and Hillary didn’t really offer that change and she didn’t attempt to engage in the progressive wing of the Democratic Party," Driscoll said. "As a chief organizer for Bernie, I didn’t feel like there was any olive branch extended to the Bernie massive. She needed both sides of the party. Instead she tried to court the Republicans on the right, which has been a tactic of the Democratic Party for too long.”
Protesters in Syracuse said they came out to show solidarity with each other and to start a new dialogue. They were joined by many other anti-Trump protests at Syracuse University and in cities across the country.