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Why some Americans have started wearing safety pins after the US election

Jenna Clarke

Following in the footsteps of Australia's "I'll ride with you" social media movement after the Lindt Cafe siege, some Americans are wearing safety pins to stand in solidarity with immigrants and other minorities.

As anti-Trump protests around the county continue, the campaign encourages those wanting to fight against intolerance to wear a safety pin on their jackets and shirts to show solidarity with women, the LBGTQ community and groups alarmed by Donald Trump's election win and the vitriol both he and some of his supporters displayed during the gruelling campaign.

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One shot in third night of anti-Trump protests

One person was shot and wounded as demonstrators continue to protest the US election outcome for the third night in a row.

The movement is an American interpretation of what many Britons did in the aftermath of the shock Brexit decision.

"So I have an idea similar to #ridewithme to help protect those eing [sic] abused as result of Brexit referendum - but I need your help," @cheeahs, the Twitter user who launched the trend, said back in June.

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"The idea being that anyone against the sort of nationalistic, racist violence we've been seeing could identify themselves as a 'safe' ally.

"I'd like to come up with something that can be made by anybody anywhere to pin on their jacket or coat to signify that they are an ally.

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"A safe person to sit next to on a bus, walk next to on a street, even have a conversation with. I quite like the idea of just putting a safety pin, empty of anything else, on your coat. A literal SAFETY pin!"

The idea took hold across the Atlantic after Trump met with president Obama - a meeting which was to last 15-minutes but instead continued for over an hour - and got a tour of the White House and the office he will occupy when he becomes the next leader of the free world in January.

The safety pin movement is gaining momentum in the days following the US election.
The safety pin movement is gaining momentum in the days following the US election. Photo: Twitter/@luckytran

Trump, following his gracious acceptance speech earlier in the week, returned to his usual frank programming on Twitter on Saturday to criticise protesters.

The safety pin project has now gone viral, thanks to some celebrity backers, including Will & Grace star Debra Messing and acting legend Patrick Stewart.

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