NORMAL — The election of Donald Trump as president triggered demonstrations at Illinois State University and in downtown Bloomington on Wednesday that attracted hundreds of people expressing frustration and anger.
A protest started with only a few people at ISU early in the day, then grew to a few hundred by late afternoon on Schroeder Plaza on the north end of campus, with the gathering continuing into the evening.
Ongoing racial issues on campus, as well as the election results, were the focus of the students.
Yewumi Awolola, a senior in sociology from Chicago, said that after watching Republican Donald Trump win the presidential election “a fire was ignited within me when I saw America's true face. … I woke up in the morning and said, 'I've got to do something.'”
She arrived on the ISU Quad about 9:30 a.m. and other people started to join her.
“It literally came out of nowhere,” said Awolola.
An hourlong demonstration on the steps of the McLean County Museum of History in downtown Bloomington on Wednesday evening was organized by Illinois People's Action. In addition to organizers, about a dozen people stepped up from the crowd to take the megaphone and express their feelings, many with tears in their eyes.
Among the speakers was 17-year-old Nathan Fryer of Bloomington, a student at Normal Community High School.
Not yet old enough to vote, Fryer said, “For the past year I've felt helpless. … Today I woke up feeling hopeless.”
But he added, “Coming here tonight, seeing my teachers and other students and people I don't know gave me hope for myself. I don't feel hopeless anymore.”
Many in the crowd at ISU wore Black Lives Matter shirts, but speakers also included Latino and gay students, commenting on concerns they have on campus and for the country.
“We're angry,” said graduate student LaCrisha McAllister of Chicago. “We understand what Trump stands for. The man wants to build a wall. He does not want to let Mexicans into the country.”
McAllister led the crowd in chants including, “Take up space. … Do not be silent,” and “Black lives matter. Brown lives matter. Immigrant lives matter. Our lives matter.”
Freshman Marie Lindgren, a political science and communications major from Bolingbrook, said, “I am here today because of the Trump election. I'm here as an ally of the Black Lives Matter movement and as a rape victim.”
Seeing the crowd grow, Lindgren said, “The solidarity made me feel like I wasn't powerless anymore.”
Speakers in downtown Bloomington covered subjects from immigration and the environment to LGBT rights and respect for women. The overall theme was “We have work to do.”
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Bill Rau of Bloomington expressed fear that Trump will kill the clean energy program and walk away from the climate agreements.
“At stake in this whole thing is the survival of our grandchildren,” said Rau.
Sage McCracken of Bloomington said, “We can fight together. We can change this. We have the power.”
At ISU, campus police monitored the scene from the edges of the crowd. Several administrators were present, including President Larry Dietz and Levester Johnson, vice president for student affairs.
“It's a response to the aftermath from the election,” Johnson said. “Just like the rest of the country and probably other campuses … they're trying to make sense of it.”
Earlier in the day, a message from Dietz was posted on the ISU website asking everyone to treat each other with an extra measure of respect, dignity and friendship in the next few days.
“There have been plenty of social media rumors regarding incidents of criminal hate activity and racial slurs,” he said. “In addition, police are aware of and investigating individuals who are purposely posting fictitious information on Facebook and other social media sites.”
Dietz said, “It is imperative that we make every effort to come together as a community and not fall victim to divisiveness.”
