Inmates incarcerated at a downtown Los Angeles prison joined in with protesting Donald Trump’s election victory, despite being behind bars.
As around 3,000 anti-Trump demonstrators gathered in streets near the federal Metropolitan Detention Center on Wednesday night, some prisoners flicked their cell lights on and off in an apparent show of solidarity.
Others reportedly banged on their windows with metal objects. Footage posted to social media purportedly shows how protesters responded by chanting, “We see you” and shouting, “Not my president.”
Some media outlets reported that immigrants being held inside the center while facing deportation were responsible for the protest, though this has not been confirmed.
The prison largely holds inmates before and during their court proceedings and it’s unclear how many are currently detained on illegal entry charges, if any. The Huffington Post has reached out to the Federal Bureau of Prisons for details.
Protests have swept the U.S. since Trump was confirmed the winner of Tuesday’s election. Marchers from Miami and San Francisco to New York City and Portland, Oregon, have criticized the president-elect’s key campaign pledges ― including the restriction of immigration, the building of a wall along the border with Mexico and the registration of Muslims.
The demonstrations have mostly been peaceful, although a small number of police officers have been injured and dozens of protestors arrested. Tens of thousands of people are expected to demonstrate again on Saturday night.
