On November 16, responding to a call for action organized by a group of University of Pittsburgh students, nearly one thousand gathered for a rally and march at the Cathedral of Learning in Pittsburgh to raise their voices in support of Black lives, LGBTQ rights, undocumented immigrants, and the Muslim community and to denounce the racist, sexist, anti-immigrant, anti-LGBTQ bigotry represented by the president elect Trump and the right wing forces that support him. The speakers at the rally pointed out the need for unity and encouraged listeners to stand up and fight back.
Following the rally, the march, which went through Oakland and culminated in a sit-in on the Birmingham Bridge, was filled with energetic young people of diverse backgrounds and levels of political consciousness.
Progressive slogans ruled the day, filling the streets with cries of “No Trump, No KKK, No Racist USA!”, “Black Lives Matter!” and “The People United Will Never Be Defeated!” As the marchers passed through Oakland, a predominantly working class and student neighborhood, countless onlookers stood on the sidewalks with their fists raised in solidarity.
The people of Pittsburgh understand that now is a crucial moment for escalating the struggle against racism, sexism, oppression of sexual minorities, crushing student debt, and the scourge of U.S. imperialism.
