Impeachment March attracts hundreds
As president’s critics rally, his backers try to drown out chants.
Hundreds of sign-toting protesters marched on a hot, sticky Sunday through downtown Austin to call for President Donald Trump’s impeachment and were met along the way by flag-waving Trump supporters attempting to drown out the chants of the pro-impeachment crowd. “The purpose is to draw attention to the many violations that we feel are valid to start impeachment proceedings,” event organizer Sharyn Richardson said. “We want to send a message to Congress we want these things investigated.”
Impeachment March Austin took place one day after the 1776 Freedom March, an event held at Wooldridge Square Park in support of Trump.
Alex McNair came to the march wearing a sombrero and carrying a sign reading “fake president” and an inflatable cactus topped with a blond wig. McNair said he went tothe march to express his discontent with the president’s antics, adding that he believes
it is unlikely things would change.
“There’s nothing about impeachment on my sign because I don’t think it’ll happen,” McNair said.
The event featured several speakers, including U.S. Rep. Al Green, D-Houston; congressional candidates Ryan Stone and Chris Perri; the Rev. Chuck Freeman of the Free Souls Congregation in Round Rock; and several music performers.
“I am here today because I love my country,” Green said to a cheering crowd. “We are here for a peaceful march; we are here to do what is a part of the fiber and fabric of this country, and that is to show by our demonstration that we love our country and we want to make it better than it is today.”
“If you follow Rep. Al Green, you’re following a loser,” a pro-Trump protester with a megaphone said from the other side of a barricade of law enforcement officers keeping Trump supporters and the marchers separated.
As the marchers started off on their short journey from the steps of the Capitol to City Hall and back, more Trump supporters stood along the march route with banners and bullhorns, while others began walking in the march itself.
“Liberalism is a mental disorder,” one sign read. Another featured Pepe the frog, a meme favored by some on the far right.
“To fight communism. That’s why I’m here,” Trump supporter Billy Sessions said.
One woman who declined to give her name said she was there to “exercise my First Amendment rights.”
“We expected counterprotesters, but we didn’t expect that many,” Richardson said. “I thought that (law enforcement) could have done a better job of maintaining the counterprotesters and keeping them off our stage. That was a little disappointing, and I know some protesters felt unsafe because the counterprotesters were marching behind us yelling through bullhorns.”
By the time the marchers returned to the Capitol, both the pro-Trump and anti-Trump groups had grown in numbers, and some marchers engaged in tense exchanges with Trump supporters. Some pro-Trump protesters attempted to drown out pro-impeachment speakers with bullhorn sirens.
Austin police said no arrests were made during the event.
“I had to join because there’s everything wrong with Donald Trump,” said marcher Juliana Mora, who was visiting from California, “but I think (Trump supporters) have a right to free speech just as much as we do.”
Austin police said no arrests were made during the event.