Santa Fe Anti-Trump Protest

Posted by Kim Jones in Election 2016

On Nov. 12, a peaceful gathering appropriately titled “We Are One” was held outside the New Mexico state capitol building. The wave of fear that spread throughout the country when Donald Trump won the 2016 Presidential election incited the Santa Fe community to take action.

The group wore red shirts that read “You Are Here” in bold black letters and wrapped themselves in”rape-free zone” police tape. The theme of the protest was solidarity, standing with one another despite gender, sexuality, race, religion and political views. Speakers shared their struggles of discrimination, abuse and violence—speaking out against hatred by sharing love and support. Men, women, children and dogs of every age and color gathered around the makeshift stage and the crowd grew larger with every passing minute. 

SFUAD student Charlotte Renken listening to a speaker at the We Are One gathering outside the capitol building. Photo by Kim Jones.

After a spontaneous but brief dance party to Break the Chain by One Billion Rising, the crowd peacefully marched to the Santa Fe Plaza to join the “Love Trumps Hate” rally.

At the Plaza, the crowd was welcomed by a group equal in size, displaying a diverse array of anti-Trump signs and T-shirts. Much like the “We Are One” gathering, the “Love Trumps Hate” rally began with heart wrenchingly relatable testimonies and tips on supporting one another. The rally carried on with sporadic chants and cheers, more personal struggles and tears and ultimately fizzled out as the crowd dispersed and people carried on with their days or went to the next event.

Just before the majority of Santa Feans returned to their cars, protesters called for an impromptu march on the streets. Approximately 200 protesters crowded the streets of Santa Fe, walking from the square through West Alameda Street to South Guadalupe Street to Cerrillos Road and back to the Plaza. Police sirens were heard instantly as more and more traffic piled up, more cops tried to control the angry— but peaceful— crowd.

At the intersection of S. Guadalupe Street and Paseo De Peralta, the Santa Fe Police Department (SFPD) attempted to barricade the road, parking its cars in single file; an unknown number of officers slung rifles over their shoulders. Protesters peacefully walked through the cars chanting “Hands up, don’t shoot,” with every person holding two peace signs to show they were unarmed. SFPD continued to follow the crowd down Cerrillos Road and eventually arrested Carmen Stone for obstruction, which prompted the crowd to chant “let her go” before she walked away with a citation. SFPD then cited a woman who got out of her car during traffic, climbed on top and flashed her breasts in support of the protesters; she then made a sexual, gyrating gesture, earning cheers from protesters. 

Protest signs at the Love Trumps Hate rally on Nov. 12
Photo by Kim Jones

The crowd filed into the square once again and gathered around Sergio Muterperl, a frequent protester and activist for equal rights. He then asked the crowd to tell SFPD he wasn’t the leader and the group acted freely. The crowd began chanting, “we are not sheep” at SFPD officers.

As protesters filed out of the square, SFPD officers overseeing the protest approached three men in masks. Two of the men, Travis Barnes and Morgan Cook, were wearing Anonymous masks while Muterperl wore a bandana covering his mouth. According to the Santa Fe Reporter, SFPD arrested Muterperl for running from the police, resisting arrest and allegedly assaulting an officer during his resistance; all three men have been charged with resisting arrest and standing on a roadway.