Modified from original version published March 6, 2017, by SFU’s The Peak.
It was a brisk February day, and the sound of Indigenous prayer songs echoed down the street. A crowd of demonstrators, onlookers, and police was huddled around a striking, new skyscraper while security guards barricaded its entrance.
Earlier that day, representatives from the Holborn Group and the Trump Organization, including Eric, Tiffany, and Donald Trump Jr., had gathered inside the new building to cut red ribbon and mark the official opening of Vancouver’s Trump International Hotel and Tower. At the invite-only press conference, Joo Kim Tiah, president and CEO of the Vancouver-based Holborn Group, thanked Vancouver for giving him the opportunity to “help shape the skyline of this beautiful city.”
Outside, the mood was less celebratory.
When it was announced a couple of weeks prior that the US president’s sons would be attending the tower’s official opening, local activists quickly began organizing protests to greet them. Speaking on behalf of Occupy Vancouver, the group that planned the protest outside Trump Tower, activist Mathew Kagis said they wanted to show support for those who have been directly affected by President Trump. “There are a lot of people in the States that are marginalized and are very afraid. We want them to know that we are with them,” said Kagis.
The so-called “Welcome Trump Party” was an all-day affair featuring various speakers, DJs, and Indigenous drumming. As the official ribbon-cutting took place that morning, over one hundred protesters were outside demonstrating.
Whether it be with those who felt personally impacted by Trump’s actions or with fellow demonstrators, solidarity motivated many to come out. “I came out to show solidarity with all the other people who disagree with Trump and everything he stands for — especially [those against] having a symbol of Trump in Vancouver,” explained Andrew Latimer, a fourth-year undergraduate student from Simon Fraser University.
Both Kagis and Latimer were unsure whether the protests would have any local impact. “I hope it has an impact on the bookings. I hope it has an impact on Trump Tower’s business, but I don’t know if it will,” remarked Kagis. Douglas Ross, a political science professor from SFU, also questioned the impact of the protests. “Trying to gauge the effect of a rather hostile Vancouverite response to the opening of the new Trump building on the president, or even whether he will notice it, is not possible,” said Ross. “We’ll only know if there is some sort of casual tweet from the White House. I suspect there won’t be.”
However, Ross highlighted how unprecedented the opening of the hotel was. “A president who has all these ‘active’ property holdings and investments being run by immediate family members is certainly without precedent — unless this sort of thing happened pre-World War II. For the modern era, he is in a class by himself.”
Meanwhile, others are still calling for the Holborn Group, which developed the property and maintains ownership, to cut ties with the Trump Organization. But while the company has expressed concern with Trump’s controversial politics, Joo Kim Tiah has insisted that the deal is effectively “locked-in.” According to Tiah, the company would endure significant legal and financial repercussions if they broke their contract with the Trump Organization.
Still, Diego Reyna, who spoke at the separate Resist 4 Peace March held later that day, urged the company to reconsider changing the building’s name. “We all make mistakes — sometimes fixing those mistakes is costly. The right thing to do is to change the name of your hotel,” implored Reyna. The Mexican-born Port Moody resident made the news last spring when he hung a Mexican flag at the top of Trump Tower while it was still under construction.
The Resist 4 Peace march started at Jack Poole Plaza in the late afternoon as a mix of rain and snow began to fall. Organized by Richmond high school students, Nora Fadel and Yasmin Ahmed, the theme of solidarity appeared as present here as it did back at the tower.
Aaron Ekman, secretary-treasurer of the B.C. Federation of Labour, encouraged protesters to try and find common ground with Trump supporters. Recalling his own experience speaking with some of the president’s defenders, Ekman found that there were numerous issues they could agree on. Trying to understand where the other side is coming from will work to reduce the political polarization many presently feel, according to Ekman.
Due to wet, frigid conditions, the march drew a relatively small turnout. One protester said she was disappointed by the attendance. The demonstrator, who wanted to remain anonymous, said she wished organizers had combined the two events to avoid splitting the turnout and minimizing its impact.
Regardless of their number, those who faced the cold weather did so with enthusiasm, chanting “dump Trump” as they exited Jack Poole Plaza.
Screed By Ben 