Anti-Trump protest updates: Los Angeles students stage walkout

Hundreds of students began dispersing Monday afternoon following an hours-long demonstration against President-elect Donald Trump through the streets of downtown Los Angeles.

By 12:30 p.m., school buses began arriving at Los Angeles City Hall and students were gathering to return to their campuses.

Suzanne Rueda, 15, said she has been participating in protests since Wednesday. So far, Suzanne, a sophomore at Ramon Cortines School of Visual and Performing Arts, said her peers haven't been reprimanded for their absence.

Administrators used the school intercom to warn students that they would suspended if they missed their classes.

"It feels like we're leading ourselves," she said. "We can't vote. This is all we can do."

As the crowd thinned, some students listened to music, others danced in a circle, others continued chanting, "We reject the president-elect."

Evelyn Aguilar, 15, said she was protesting racism.

"A lot of us don't agree with what Donald Trump is saying in my community," the 15-year-old sophomore said. "A lot of people are worried about being deported and violence against them because of their sexual and ethnic identities."

High school students continued to gather outside Los Angeles City Hall on Monday afternoon despite warnings from district administrators that there would be consequences for ditching class.

Serena Armas, a senior at Roosevelt High School, said she was protesting for reforms to the electoral college.

"School might get me in trouble, but I don't care," the 17-year-old student said.

PHOTOS: Students walkout in protest over President-elect Trump

Standing within the crowd of protesters was Yesenia Flores, who held up a sign saying, "Trump makes us fear for our lives."

"All I've wanted to do is make my parents proud," the 15-year-old Roosevelt sophomore said. "I can't make my parents proud if they're not here."

Blanca Villaseñor, a sophomore at Collegiate Charter High School, said she's also fighting against President-elect Donald Trump on behalf of her parents.

Her sign read: "Latinos contra Trump."

United Teachers Los Angeles says it's supporting students and their families following the union called "politics of fear, racism and misogyny."

In a statement issued Monday, the union said its members think students should protest and express themselves peacefully.

The union said it was committed to "educational and racial justice —  both in our classrooms and in our communities."

PHOTOS: Students walkout in protest over President-elect Trump

"As educators, as people spending every day with students and caring about each student’s future, we believe we have a sacred role in times like these," th union said. "There will be individuals who exploit a situation that the results of the presidential election have allowed. We condemn fear-mongering, threats, hate speech, and hate crimes from anyone."

Oakland high school students walked out of their classrooms Monday to protest the election of Donald Trump as president.

Dozens of students held signs and chanted as they marched through downtown Oakland. Similar demonstrations were underway in Los Angeles.

Racist graffiti and behavior has been reported at schools, including in the Alameda Unified School District, Supt. Sean McPhetridge said in a statement Sunday.

"I want all of our AUSD families to know that it is unacceptable to us as a district and against what we stand for as Americans to see these hateful and exclusive behaviors," he said.

On Monday, community members planned to stand outside schools to welcome students and remind them, "Everyone belongs here," he said.

"We do not tolerate hate speech, bullying, racism, sexism, homophobia, or any other forms of hatred," McPhetridge said.

In a letter to families following Tuesday's election, McPhetridge said the district is dedicated to providing "an inclusive, safe and secure environment."

"Regardless of the divisive rhetoric that has [often] dominated presidential campaign, I am confident our democratic values will prevail, and we must remember to keep faith in that," he wrote.

Los Angeles Unified Supt. Michelle King urged students to remain on campus as hundreds of their peers began marching away Monday during an anti-Donald Trump demonstration.

“These are important conversations that need to take place,” she said. “We want our students to know they are not alone. However, it is critical that students not allow their sentiments to derail their education or for their actions to place them in danger.”

As students walked through East Los Angeles, King reminded students that they could talk about their concerns in school.

The district is working on launching assemblies, restorative justice programs and other speaking activities to give students a “secure forum.”

“We believe the best place to discuss concerns is in school with caring teachers and staff,” she said.

Students called for unity during an anti-Trump demonstration Monday at Mariachi Plaza in Boyle Heights.

Earlier, a group of students walked out of their classrooms and marched through East Los Angeles, holding signs and chanting.

Evelin Miranda, 16, missed English class to be at the demonstration.

"I want to tell people that we don't want Donald Trump as our president," Evelin said. "Because he's racist and I have immigrant parents and I'm afraid that I might lose them."

She saw a flier on Instagram on Thursday about the demonstration and decided she wanted to join.

After first period, the students met at the front of the school and walked out through the gym, she said.

By 9 a.m., students from Mendez High School began walking off campus.

Alex Macias, an assistant principal at the high school, walked behind students. The group supervising the protest learned about the walkout last week during restorative justice circles with students.

"We heard students' voices," Macias said. "We basically let them speak."

Hundreds of Los Angeles-area students walked out of their classrooms and began marching in the streets on Monday as a protest of Donald Trump’s election to the presidency.

TV footage showed a long line of students walking through East Los Angeles and finally stopped at Mariachi Plaza in Boyle Heights.

At Roosevelt High School, school officials asked students to remain on campus.

"Ignorance ... can often lead to violence: Please understand that the greatest way to overcome ignorance is through education," school officials said.

Police ordered a lingering group of anti-Donald Trump protesters to disperse on Friday night after an hours-long demonstration through downtown Los Angeles that ended where it started, at City Hall.

Dozens of officers, wearing ballistic helmets and holding up batons, lined up around the group, which was chanting, "Right to assemble!" Minutes later, shortly before midnight, police ordered everyone to go home.

"I'm not leaving," said 19-year-old Kimberly Solano, noting that she was prepared to get arrested. "Whatever happens, happens." 

Most protesters left voluntarily, but a dozen or so — some holding their hands in the air while chanting, "Peaceful protest" — were pushed up Temple Street as officers moved in.

As of shortly after midnight on Sunday, police hadn't arrested anyone there.

"It's just a few stragglers," said LAPD Officer Wendy Reyes, noting that most people had left. "We're just monitoring."

It remained unclear early Sunday morning whether a handful of people detained earlier in the night during the marches remained under arrest.

A small, boisterous crowd of anti-Donald Trump protesters marched through downtown Los Angeles on Saturday night, stopping traffic while whistling and cheering, at times weaving through moving cars.

Drivers stuck in traffic honked their horns and gave out high-fives to demonstrators, who chanted, "Donald Trump, go away! Racist, sexist, anti-gay!" along with "Peaceful protest!"

In separate incidents, Los Angeles Police Department officers arrested at least two suspected taggers, including a woman seen spray-painting, "My body, my choice" in the 3rd Street tunnel. The man, meanwhile, was escorted to a police car by two officers in ballistic helmets, his hands zip-tied behind his back. 

The march began around 8:30 p.m., when roughly 100 demonstrators, mostly young people, left City Hall and marched through downtown before circling back about an hour and a half later. 

Around that time, the LAPD said it was tracking two demonstrations, the one at City Hall and a larger group of about a couple hundred people at MacArthur Park.

In what has become a familiar scene since election day, about 100 marchers began making their way through downtown Los Angeles tonight. 

There haven't been any arrests yet, but the graffiti that has marked the protests seems to be continuing, including some on a news van.

After an 8,000-person march earlier Saturday, over 100 anti-Donald Trump protesters remained on the steps of City Hall after the sun set.

At one point, a crisis counselor offered her services pro-bono to anyone who wanted to talk, "whatever your political persuasion."

The age of the protesters ranged from young teens to people in their 70s. 

Thomas Munzig, 71, and his wife, Jamie Taylor, 61, said they believed they were the oldest of the protesters who remained. 

"We have taken not only two steps backward, but we've fallen down the stairs," Taylor said of Trump's election.

Hours after Saturday morning's anti-Donald Trump march came to an end, a few hundred lingering protestors gathered on the steps of City Hall to share their thoughts on the election.

Passing a megaphone among them, some demonstrators talked about the importance of finding a direction forward, others said they wanted a female president, and still others admitted to feeling as if they had let Hillary Clinton down.

One woman, who said she was transgender, warned listeners against getting violent.

"If we get violent, we get stopped," she said.

A man urged the group to sign a petition on Moveon.org to abolish the electoral college.

"Trump didn't win the popular vote," he said. "I don't understand why we aren't pushing that harder."