Approximately 100 Mira Costa High School students protested Donald Trump’s election as president by walking out of class and marching two miles from their campus to the Manhattan Beach City Hall Monday morning.
The students were responding to an Instagram sent out over the weekend by Walkout for Peace, calling on high school students across the country to protest Trump’s election by walking out of class and marching on city halls.
Mira Costa senior Merita Lundstrom said at the demonstration, “I’m Mexican, a woman and I have gay friends. I’m here to show I’m not okay with Donald Trump’s positions or his behavior.”
Lundstrom said the Mira Costa protest was largely spontaneous and that she only heard of the protest Monday morning.
Student Tate Hildegard said it frightened him that a businessman and reality TV star, with no previous political experience was now the president.
Fellow student Luc Patedevin said he disapproved of the president-elect’s statement that he would reverse President Barack Obama’s legislation, including Obamacare.
Principal Ben Dale accompanied the protesters on their walk, but made clear he was not part of the protest.
“I’m came to make sure the students arrive and return to school safely,” he said.
While marching, the students were taunted by drivers who showed them the middle finger and shouted angrily at them.
Manhattan Beach councilwoman Amy Howorth was having coffee with friends at Le Pain Quotidien Bakery in Metlox Plaza when she saw the students march by.
She promptly left her friends to meet the students at city hall.
“I told them that though Manhattan Beach city government had nothing to do with Trump’s election, I understood that City Hall is a symbol of government and they had a right to protest here. I encouraged them to stay involved. I think it is great that they feel strongly about politics,” she said.
Howorth was wearing a pink tutu when she spoke to the students.
“Today was my birthday,” she explained. “I never had a ballerina tutu as a child. So when I reached a certain birthday milestone a few years ago, I made myself a tutu and vowed to wear it each year, on my birthday.”
Councilman Wayne Powell was also at City Hall when the students arrived.
“The students were exercising their First Amendment free speech rights in a peaceful and respectful manner. It was a lesson in democracy, better than any school textbook could teach,” he said. ER
