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Thousands Gather For 'Not My President's Day' Rally at Columbus Circle

By  Alexandra Leon and Trevor Kapp | February 20, 2017 12:50pm 

 The rally started at noon outside the Trump International Hotel at Columbus Circle.
Thousands Gather For 'Not My President's Day' Rally at Columbus Circle
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MIDTOWN — Thousands of people gathered at Columbus Circle Monday to oppose President Donald Trump's administration at a "Not My President's Day" rally, marking the third day of protests across the city.

The rally started at noon outside the Trump International Hotel and was scheduled to run until 4 p.m. Roughly 2,000 protestors held signs with messages like, "Real News, Fake Trump," "Deport Little Donnie" and "We Shall Overcomb," while chanting "No KKK, No Fascist USA, No Trump."

Upper West Side resident Stephanie Sanders, 22, came to the protest with her friend to show the administration that its citizens won't sit back, she said. 

"It's very easy to become passive in times like these," said Sanders, who works in advertising. "There has to be a constant show of force. People hold all the power and government should be afraid of that."

She said she wanted to voice her frustration.

"I don't feel like my voice has been heard," she said.

boot trayProtestors at the "Not My President's Day" rally at Columbus Circle on Monday. (DNAinfo/Trevor Kapp)

Amanda Rivera, a 23-year-old Pelham Bay Park resident who works at a cafe, said she hopes the message of these protests is heard not just at home, but across the globe.

"It's important on an international level. If we didn't have these protests, it'd say to the world that we're standing behind him," she said.

"It's important for as many people in New York City as possible to show resistance to Trump. He's going against a lot of ideals we stand for — diversity, accepting people of different races."

Nick Brandon, a 16-year-old high school junior from Floral Park, said he is protesting because he's worried.

"I'm fearing for my future with the Trump regime," he said.

"People need to be heard. If people don't like what's happening in the government, they need to protest it."

More than a dozen Trump supporters also turned out to Monday's rally, wearing "Make America Great Again" hats and Trump T-shirts.

Ariel Kohane, a 45-year-old food service supervisor from the Upper West Side, wore her Trump yarmulke in support of the president. 

"I'm here to show my support for President Trump both as a Jew and as a citizen of America," she said. "It doesn't matter that we are outnumbered. We want to show the rest of the world that President Trump has much support."

"Not My President's Day" rallies were planned in more than 20 cities across the country, including Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington D.C., Atlanta and Philadelphia.

The rally marks the third day of protests in the city — about 1,000 people gathered in Times Square Sunday for the "I Am Muslim Too" rally, and on Saturday protesters held a mock funeral for the presidency in Washington Square Park.