Five protesters – and a dog – stubbornly rallied at the Peace Arch border crossing Sunday against executive orders signed by U.S. President Donald Trump.
The original No Ban, No Wall rally, which was rescheduled by organizers due to the snow, is now set for next Sunday at 10 a.m. Leaders from three United Churches in South Surrey and White Rock had said they would attend in support for members of White Rock Muslim Association, prior to rescheduling.
“We came to be one of the best supporters we could possibly be against what you’re seeing and what’s been happening in the United States,” White Rock resident Heather Christie said at the Peace Arch Sunday.
Christie was joined by another Canadian and three Americans.
“We’re here to stand up for women, stand up for the rights, stand up against Trump. Get rid of him, do whatever we can. He needs to go,” Christie told Peace Arch News.
The protesters said about 85 per cent of the reactions from passing travellers were supportive.
“The ones that (weren’t) just had their heads down and kept moving forward. Most of them, even Americans, had their thumbs up.”
Trump signed several executive orders in his first week of office last month. In one, he imposed a 120-day suspension of the refugee program and a 90-day ban on travel to the U.S. from citizens of Iraq, Iran, Syria, Libya, Yemen, Somalia and Sudan. He also banned federal funds allocated to international groups that perform, promote or lobby to legalize abortion.
Last Friday, Trump’s 90-day ban was suspended by Judge James Robart, from Seattle. The White House filed an emergency appeal to reinstate the ban, but was denied by a panel of judges.
Trump mentioned the decision on Sunday by tweeting: “Just cannot believe a judge would put our country in such peril. If something happens blame him and court system. People pouring in. Bad!”
A hearing was scheduled for Tuesday after PAN press time whether to allow the ban.
