Chicago college students walk out of class to protest Trump

FOX 32 NEWS - Student protests against a Trump presidency took place on several college campuses in Chicago Tuesday, with students taking part in campus walkouts.

“The answer is not in an arrogant, racist, sexist pig of a man!”

Students at UIC joined students around the country, protesting the election of Donald Trump by walking out of their classes for a noon rally. About 250 students showed up.

“You can’t run a country based on hate, and bigotry and intolerance,” said Zahra Ali.

“The president-elect has based his campaign along fear and it's a very powerful weapon that shouldn't be used. He’s targeted minorities. Targeted undocumented,” said Kevin Peralta.

Some faculty members joined in too.

“I think the students are leading right now and we are looking to them to hear what they see as appropriate ways forward,” said Josh Radinsky.

The students and faculty who gathered Tuesday had an agenda that goes well beyond their reaction to a Donald trump presidency.

Protesters say the Democrats have also let them down on issues from gender discrimination and wages to immigration reform and the environment. That same message was echoed at another walkout late Tuesday afternoon.

At the University of Chicago, protests there covered everything from the selection of Stephen Bannon as senior presidential advisor, to the Dakota Access pipeline.

“There's just a lot of anger, a lot of frustration, I think, with Trump being elected, and what it means to a lot of people who have been marginalized in society,” said Michael Chladek.

Both protests Tuesday took place at central locations on campus.  There was no marching, no blocking traffic, and both were peaceful.