Monterey demonstrators protest Trump’s travel ban

Hundreds of people took to Del Monte Avenue in Monterey Saturday to send a strong message to President Donald Trump.

“Treat us right. We are not terrorists here,” said Abdel Seck, president of the Islamic Society of Monterey County. “We are all civilized, peaceful people.”

“I’m more worried about People like Dylan Roof who murdered people in a church in South Carolina than I am about my Muslim neighbors,”Betsy Buchaltter-Adler of Pacific Grove.

It was part of a bigger protest across the country. People spoke out against the president’s executive order which banned citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering into the U.S..

“Yes, there are bad people around the world but that does not mean that all Muslims are bad,” said Agha Bilal with the Islamic Society of Monterey County. “We want them to deal case-by-case the people who are criminal(s), that are doing wrong things.”

While many celebrated a federal judge’s temporary block of the ban, protestors also demandied a permanent decision.

“My personal feeling is it’s going to be coming and going,” said Radwan Shoukry with the Islamic Society of Monterey County. “Obviously the new government’s not going to accept defeat.”

The president and many GOP leaders insist his travel ban is not about discriminating against Muslims, but aimed at keeping terrorists out of the country.

“I would like all these people who are going nuts, throwing temper tantrums, to give him six months to see what happens,” said Howard Epstein, San Francisco GOP Vice Chair.

“The State of California, we’ve passed a resolution affirming our commitment to immigrants in the State of California,” said California Senate Majority Leader Bill Monning.

Protestors also said they believe Trump’s actions will, ironically, help unite.

“From these community events come community building, come actual planning,” said Deena Brabant of Monterey.

Monterey Police were also on site, ensuring a peaceful rotest.