Editor’s Note: The Trump speech on Monday has been moved from the Renaissance Center to Cobo Center.
Donald Trump (and his presidential campaign adversary Hillary Clinton) are locked in what could be arguably the most divisive presidential race in a long time.
That energy is coming to Detroit’s Renaissance Center, where Republican nominee Donald Trump is speaking at a luncheon of the Detroit Economic Club.
A Facebook event has popped up from a group called Cockroach Watch – and for a short time became a trending topic locally on Facebook – that looks to gather people to build a human wall around the Rencen during the DEC speech.
Bring yourself, brings your friends, bring your creativity and outrage. Because no matter who wins, we lose — especially when racism, misogyny, and bigotry are on the rise.
Make and bring your own banner for the wall, with your own ideas on it (see photos for inspiration).
Let’s demonstrate what it means to reclaim our humanity: Self-determination! Caring and egalitarian communities! Mutual aid and autonomy! Solidarity! Dignity!
Protests of creating walls around Trump events are not unique to Detroit. Recently, a group started planning and fundraising for building a 200 foot wall of sandbags in view of Trump Tower.
Other human walls, mocking Trump’s plan to build a wall at the U.S. border with Mexico as well as his proposed policies around Muslims and other groups have appeared in Eugene, Oregon; Columbus, Ohio and outside the Republican National Convention in Cleveland.
The organizers of the event Cockroach Watch on their website seem to focus on issues in the city of Detroit such as foreclosures, services, and police brutality.
The event calls for people to arrive at noon on Monday, August 8. Trump speaks at noon at the Detroit Economic Club. The DEC has also invited Hillary Clinton to speak. Tickets for DEC members are available here for the luncheon until 5 p.m. Friday or until they are sold out.
