Protest and Backlash - Seeking Refuge Thomas E. Franklin

Rallying for Immigrant's Rights

Go to Photo Gallery

Since Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential election victory, widespread protests have occurred in many cities throughout the United States, Europe, and elsewhere. The demonstrations have expressed opposition to Trump on many fronts, but especially his campaign rhetoric on the need for a border wall, as well as various presidential actions and executive orders against immigrants. Most notably, his family separation policy.

In early 2017, protests against Trump’s travel ban, which many called the Muslim ban, saw masses gathered at various airports to prevent the returning of refugees to countries considered unsafe.

Many of the protests have taken the form of demonstrations, rallies, and marches. Outrage over the Muslim ban, and later the separation of children from parents, also sparked large rallies in major cities around the country, including Newark and Paterson, where there are large immigrant populations.

Protesters turned out in high numbers at these events, including Senators, Congress members, and other elected officials. NJ Senator Cory Booker, in particular, has been highly visible at these rallies. He is now a Democratic presidential candidate. Protests also sprung up outside at ICE detention centers, including the Elizabeth Contract Detention Facility (ICE).

ELIZABETH, NJ 01-29-2016 MARCH AND RALLY IN SUPPORT OF IMMIGRANTS & REFUGEES: Se. Cory Booker spoke to the crowd and then joined in a march in support of immigrants and refugees at a rally today in Elizabeth outside the Homeland Security Detention Center. There were about 1,500-2,000 protesters at the rally and march.

-photo by Thomas E. Franklin tomefran@gmail.com
Phone: 201-669-2075c

PATERSON, NY 02/05/2017: A protester looks to the sky as he carries a sign during the “March for Peace and Decency” in downtown Paterson. The crowd of roughly 2,000 included scores of religious leaders, elected officials, activists, and local families who marched through downtown before gathering at the Great Falls National Park. Senators Cory Booker and Robert Menendez, and Congressman Bill Pascrell, Jr. also joined the march. Rally organizers said they hoped to unite Christian, Jewish, Muslim, and other religious leaders, “in a peaceful manner to demand justice for all.”

ELIZABETH, NJ 01-29-2016: A protester holds a resist sign outside the Elizabeth immigration detention facility (ICE), where roughly 2,000 protesters marched called for an end to President Donald Trump's executive order on immigration. The executive order stops the processing of Syrian refugees, suspends the broader refugee program, calls for a more intense vetting system, and imposes a three-month ban on immigration from Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen.The measure was later blocked by a federal judge.

ELIZABETH, NJ 01-29-2016: Rally participant Carlos Castaneda holds a pamphlet of the U.S. Constitution at an immigration-rights rally outside the Elizabeth immigration detention facility (ICE), where roughly 2,000 protesters marched calling for an end to President Donald Trump's executive order on immigration. The executive order stops the processing of Syrian refugees, suspends the broader refugee program, calls for a more intense vetting system, and imposes a three-month ban on immigration from Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen.The measure was later blocked by a federal judge.

ELIZABETH, NJ 01/29/2016: Ayat Modan, 3, sits on the shoulders of her father Nayeem at an immigration-rights rally outside the Elizabeth immigration detention facility (ICE), where roughly 2,000 protesters marched, calling for an end to President Donald Trump's executive order on immigration. The executive order stops the processing of Syrian refugees, suspends the broader refugee program, calls for a more intense vetting system, and imposes a three-month ban on immigration from Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen.The measure was later blocked by a federal judge.

PATERSON, NY 02/05/2017: Senator Cory Booker uses a megaphone to rally protesters during the “March for Peace and Decency” in downtown Paterson. The crowd of roughly 2,000 included scores of religious leaders, elected officials, activists, and local families who marched through downtown before gathering at the Great Falls National Park. Senator Robert Menendez and Congressman Bill Pascrell, Jr. also joined the march. Rally organizers said they hoped to unite Christian, Jewish, Muslim, and other religious leaders, “in a peaceful manner to demand justice for all.”

PATERSON, NY 02/05/2017: A protester carries a sign during the “March for Peace and Decency” in downtown Paterson. The crowd of roughly 2,000 included scores of religious leaders, elected officials, activists, and local families who marched through downtown before gathering at the Great Falls National Park. Senators Cory Booker and Robert Menendez, and Congressman Bill Pascrell, Jr. also joined the march. Rally organizers said they hoped to unite Christian, Jewish, Muslim, and other religious leaders, “in a peaceful manner to demand justice for all.”

PATERSON, NJ 02/01/2017: A protester holds a "We the People" sign as protesters rally in South Paterson against President Donald Trump’s executive order to curtail entry into the U.S. from seven Middle Eastern and African countries. About 400 protesters converged in South Paterson's predominately Arab and Turkish American neighborhood to protest the order.

March for Syrian Freedom

In March 2016, a march and rally in Washington DC commemorated the 5th Anniversary of the Syrian Revolution. The rally, which marks when the conflict began as an anti-government uprising, was designed to bring attention to the global humanitarian crisis and raise money to aid Syrian refugees worldwide.

Syria’s civil war is among the worst humanitarian crises of our time. An estimated 400,000 have been killed, 6.5 million people have been displaced, and another 3 million have been forced to flee to other countries, according to a report by the United Nations (UNHCR). Bombings have destroyed cities, human rights violations are widespread, and basic human necessities like food, housing, and medical care are sparse.

Roughly half of Syria’s population has fled to either neighboring countries or to Europe, many risking their lives in hopes of finding acceptance and opportunity abroad, while hundreds of thousands remain stranded in refugee camps across the Middle East, Europe, and the Mediterranean region prompting rights groups to accuse the international community of failing Syria.

The Syrian conflict is now in its tenth year.

See photos by Thomas E. Franklin, in The Record & Northjersey.com

WASHINGTON D.C. 03/20/2016: Hundreds take part in the “March for Syrian Freedom” rally in Washington DC on the National Mall, marking the 5th Anniversary of the Syrian Revolution. Along with the flags of the U.S. the protesters carried Syrian Revolution flags, which are different that the Syrian national flag.

Five years after it began, Syria’s civil war is among the worst humanitarian crisis of our time. The civil unrest has killed more than 220,000 of its citizens, and it has been estimated that over 11 million people have been forced to leave their homes. Bombings have destroyed cities, human rights violations are widespread, and basic human necessities like food, housing, and medical care are sparse. Roughly half of Syria’s population has fled to either neighboring countries or to Europe, many risking their lives in hopes of finding acceptance and opportunity abroad, while hundreds of thousands remain stranded in refugee camps across the Middle East, Europe, and the Mediterranean region prompting rights groups to accuse the international community of failing Syria.

PATERSON, NJ 03/20/2016: Mohamed Khairullah takes snaps a photo during the “March for Syrian Freedom” rally under the watchful eye of Abe Lincoln the at Lincoln Memorial. Khairullah, the mayor of Prospect Park, NJ and a refugee from Syria, escorted a group from Passaic County to participate in the rally commemorating the 5th anniversary of when the conflict began as an anti-government uprising with protesters taking to the streets on March 15, 2011, brings attention to the global humanitarian crisis and raise money to aid Syrian refugees worldwide. The program included an interfaith conference at the Lincoln memorial, followed by a march to the White House.

PATERSON, NJ 03/20/2016: Syrian refugee Noha Aizouabi,17, claps and sings with her friends as they ride aboard a chartered bus from Paterson, NJ, to Washington DC, to take part in the “March for Syrian Freedom” rally, marking the 5-year anniversary of the Syrian uprising. Aizouabi's family fled the civil war in Syria and came to the US in 2012. At right is Rasha Alrifae, age 18 also from Paterson. The rally, which commemorates the 5th anniversary of when the conflict began as an anti-government uprising with protesters taking to the streets on March 15, 2011, was designed to bring attention to the global humanitarian crisis and raise money to aid Syrian refugees worldwide. The program will include an interfaith conference at the Lincoln memorial, to be followed by a march to the White House.

WASHINGTON DC 03/20/2016 5TH ANNIVERSARY OF SYRIAN UPRISING: Thousands take part in the “March for Syrian Freedom” in Washington DC today, marking the 5th Anniversary of the Syrian Revolution. About 200 made the trip from Paterson, including Prospect Park Mayor Mohamed T. Khairullah, and many from the Syrian community in Paterson. Organizers said the march, which commemorates the 5th anniversary of when the conflict began as an anti-government uprising with protesters taking to the streets on March 15, 2011, was designed to bring attention to the global humanitarian crisis and raise money to aid Syrian refugees worldwide. The program will include an interfaith conference at the Lincoln memorial, to be followed by a march to the White House.

Five years after it began, Syria’s civil war is among the worst humanitarian crisis of our time. The civil unrest has killed more than 220,000 of its citizens, and it has been estimated that over 11 million people have been forced to leave their homes. Bombings have destroyed cities, human rights violations are widespread, and basic human necessities like food, housing, and medical care are sparse. Roughly half of Syria’s population has fled to either neighboring countries or to Europe, many risking their lives in hopes of finding acceptance and opportunity abroad, while hundreds of thousands remain stranded in refugee camps across the Middle East, Europe, and the Mediterranean region prompting rights groups to accuse the international community of failing Syria. -photo by Thomas E. Franklin

Thomas E. Franklin
tomefran@gmail.com
Phone: 201-669-2075c