
Thousands of protesters swarmed the streets of several major cities Wednesday to voice their opposition to Donald Trump, who less than 24 hours earlier stunned the world to become the 45th person elected president of the United States.
Protesters in Chicago chanted "Not my president" and "F--- Trump" outside Trump International Hotel & Tower in what seemed like a grand uprising — one in which minority groups that have felt targeted by Trump over the past 18 months hoped to send a direct message to the president-elect.
"I'm here today because I'm speechless at what happened," Rebecca Gomez, 22, told NBC News. "I'm Mexican, but I was born in the United States. I'm afraid people won't care about that, though. I'm afraid they will be violent."
In New York, thousands of protesters could be heard chanting and banging drums as they marched past Rockefeller Center up Sixth Avenue, barely even acknowledging the rain.
"It's horrible that we have to do this," said Trevor Wheeler, 18, of North Dakota, who now lives in New York City. "I identify as a queer person. I will most likely lose my right to get married. ... I will not be able to present myself the way I want to."
Some chanted "Racist, sexist, anti-gay! Donald Trump must go away!" and "F--- your wall!"