Hundreds Gathered To Show Solidarity With Refugees And Immigrants During A Candlelight Vigil In Downtown Dallas’ Thanks-Giving Square on Monday Night.
Following a weekend’s worth of protests at DFW Airport against President Donald Trump’s executive order to halt travel into America by the citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries, hundreds of Dallasites gathered in at Thanks-Giving Square in Downtown Dallas on Monday night to participate in an candlelight vigil organized in the name of humanitarian solidarity.
By the time the sun had set over the city, the entire park was filled with tea lights illuminating the space and the many posters that bore words of encouragement to those affected by the news.
The entire night was meant as a show of support between members of various subsections of the Dallas community. The event’s speakers — ranging from politicians and religious leaders to refugees and the lawyers who have been tirelessly fighting against the motion — shared words of reason, wisdom and clarity in the face of the airport detaining of people trying to visit friends and family in America.
The main themes of their talks centered around justice, humanity and staying vigilant. One speaker in particular — Nicole Green, one of the event’s organizers — made it clear in her statement that this fight is “not a partisan issue; this is a humanitarian issue.” Her words elicited loud applause and nods of agreement. But politics did indeed rear their head at the vigil: When President Trump was mentioned by name, crowds would at times shout “Fuck Trump!” in reply, earning applause for their actions.
Still, notions of peace and cooperation were the night’s main focus, with attendees even at one point breaking into song by singing John Lennon’s “Imagine.”
Already, organizers of this vigil have announced another event to be thrown on President’s Day. That gathering, which will being at Dallas City Hall starting at 10 a.m. on Saturday, February 18, is being billed as a march and a rally “for all immigrants and refugees.”
Something tells us it’s not likely to be the last such affair in town.