PHOTOS: The Best Signs from Trump and Elon Protests in Culver City
The past several Saturdays have seen activists converge on Culver City's Downtown Corridor to speak out against the current administration.
Protests have been held in Downtown Culver City in recent weekends against the current Federal Administration with a particular focus on President Donald Trump and Elon Musk, who the administration calls a "senior advisor" to the President. || Photos by Christian May-SuzukiImmigration policy is among the most controversial topics surrounding the Trump Administration. The U.S. Supreme Court recently prevented President Trump from continuing to use the Alien Enemies Act — a rule invoked in wartime to detain or remove natives or citizens of an enemy nation — to deport members of the Tren de Aragua gang originating in Venezuela. Members of MS-13, a gang founded in the U.S. by migrants from El Salvador, were also targeted, a process which resulted in the contested deportation and subsequent imprisonment of Kilmar Abrego Garcia.President Trump received both praise and criticism for his use of nicknames for his opponents on the campaign trail. His detractors have turned that on Trump, with nicknames like "Mango Menace" alluding to the contrast in skin tone seen on his face in many pictures and public appearances that has led to accusations of spray tanning. While Trump has denied using spray tan, a 2020 study published in journal i-Perception concluded that "Trump’s skin tan [is] close to the edge of the natural skin tan [range] and firmly within the [range] of a sunless skin tan."Some signs called on the movie history of Culver City to make commentary on the current approach to governing the United States. The Wizard of Oz is among the most well known movies to be filmed in Culver City, with three of its main characters being distinct for lacking one of the three traits listed on the sign.The strongest critics of President Trump and Musk say many of their policies, including criticism of judicial and legal proceedings, work to significantly decrease the size of the government, control of media access, and his stances on immigration and race relations, are reminiscent of fascist governments, with Nazi Germany and Adolf Hitler being the most common comparison.President Trump's foreign policy — particularly related to his dealings with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy — have drawn ire from his critics. Trump and Putin have been in close contact under the pretense that Trump is working to facilitate a ceasefire in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine War, but many believe there are other motives behind their dialogue.Trump has also been the defendant in several criminal cases and lawsuits, with some believing he should be in prison based on the conduct highlighted in those cases. These charges include falsifying business records and a pair of cases related to his first Presidential term that did not proceed due to laws unrelated to the "merits or strengths of the case" against Trump. A racketeering case against Trump in Georgia was put on hold indefinitely after Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis was disqualified from it.Similar to Trump, Musk was criticized for his overzealous use of government oversight powers given to him through his position in the newly created Department of Government Efficiency. Many feel his influence overreaches what should be allowed from an unelected government officials and question his reasoning for cuts made to federal departments. Protestors also referenced controversial aspects of Musk's personal life, including his strained relationship with Vivian Jenna Wilson, who came out as transgender in 2022 and legally changed her last name from Musk several months later to distance herself from her estranged father.
Comments ()