Resist March, January 20, 2017, Minneapolis

Before the big march on Saturday, there were several smaller marches on Friday afternoon.

The one I went to started at Nicollet Avenue and Lake Street in Minneapolis. I brought along a dozen printed signs to share, and wore one myself. (They said Resist Trumpism.) I also had my trusty coffee can and drum stick, and put them to good use accompanying an old friend who had a marching bass drum. There's nothing like percussion at a march. I highly recommend bringing something along to marches that makes noise; you can save a lot of vocal cord wear and tear by substituting loud, rhythmic clanging. (As I walked along I often heard people say, "More cowbell!" because that's what a coffee can sounds like.)

Here are some of the signs I saw. These are a bit edgier than the ones from Saturday, and that's without even posting the big papier maché Trump head that had a wooden spike through it.


Getting ready to leave the Kmart parking lot, tying together two issues in one sign.


An ambitious effort.


The issues covered on the signs at this march were wide-ranging.


There were lots of artists having their way with Trump.


The woman holding this banner (on the right end of the photo) told me it was made by her friend, who couldn't be at the march because she had been hit (as a pedestrian) by an SUV a few days earlier. I found out later that the letters were printed at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design, where an artist has made 36"-tall letters out of pink rigid insulation and is printing in a two-story atrium, running long sheets of paper or fabric over a balcony to the floor below. I'm assuming her injured friend is an MCAD student.


Nice art!


These two could have been at the Women's March, except the Resist! message was not so common there.


This one gets to the point.


Stencils and spray paint for the win.


One of my favorites. (There was a great chant at this march: "Hands too small. He can't build a wall.")


More stencils and spray paint.


Science!


This one reveled in understatement... just some orange circus peanuts formed into a capital F. Guess what that stands for?


When the march reached Franklin Avenue, it joined up with the Black Snake march, which started in the heart of Minneapolis's Indian Country and was sponsored by Idle No More, AIM Twin Cities, and several other organizations. This sign was a good reminder of a truth that never rises to consciousness for me on most days.


He was just quietly walking along, minding his own business.


A cross-over marcher, coming out to support the more radical protestors.


Nice use of pink!


This one went well with another chant that was popular at the march: "Say it loud, say it clear, immigrants are welcome here." The word "refugees" was sometimes substituted for "immigrants."


This guy. What can I say? Steampunk hat and all.

And finally, probably my favorite of all for the long term:


I may reprise this one myself at a future march or rally.