BIRMINGHAM — A woman with a bullhorn, identified by ABC 33/40 as Lynn Lee, shouted, "Children are starving, women are dying, veterans are homeless, people are disappearing off the streets," as those around her repeatedly chanted the word "shame."
This was the scene outside the Birmingham BJCC as attendees arrived for the two separate events being held in different parts of the event center. The fear and confusion on the faces of young middle-school students and their families walking into the All-State Choral Festival was heartbreaking. At the same time, the response by those going to the Alabama Republican Party (ALGOP) event featuring Donald Trump, Jr. could best be described as annoyed or mildly entertained. The protesters didn't change the tone or volume of their chants as innocent students filed into their rehearsal.
One of the protesters, a woman in a banana costume, held a sign that said, "Fascism Bananas," while repeatedly holding up her middle finger.
Occasionally, the group would single out a passerby or guest of the event for specific chants such as "You voted for a rapist" or "We don't want you here."
Meanwhile, Donald Trump, Jr. thanked the protesters early in his speech, saying, "I want to thank the protesters outside because if they don't show up, even if they're paid if they don't, I feel like I'm losing my touch."
He said, "I'm not sure exactly what they're protesting. I think they're upset that we are no longer, as a government, gonna send ten million to Mozambique for circumcision procedures. What was that 20 million to Guatemala for trans-Elmo? Sesame Street in Iraq for another $20-25 billion, whatever that was. They're upset about those things. So, just so we're clear, if you're upset about cutting waste fraud and abuse, especially when they delineate the waste fraud and abuse, you're probably in on it, folks."
One protester carried an American flag with a small sign that read, "Save UAB Children's Science. " When asked for more specific information, she said, "They've cut off the money. " When asked if researchers had been fired, she responded, "Yes!" Then, after a pause, she said, "I think. Possibly."
Apryl Marie Fogel frequently appears on and guest hosts radio programs around the state.
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