Hundreds of UW-L students protested the newly elected president, Donald Trump, across the La Crosse campus on Thursday.

After a hate crime was addressed by Chancellor, Jow Gow, on Nov. 9 via email, students voiced their opinions and concerns across campus. In the email sent out on Nov. 9, Gow expressed disappointment saying, “I am deeply troubled to share with you the news that a hate crime has been committed in a neighborhood very near our campus. The hate crime involved hateful and intimidating vandalism on the front door of the residence of several UWL students of color.”

Gow’s statement was after the UW-L Campus Climate Office’s statement addressing the same issue on their official Facebook page. Campus Climate also went on to explain a second hate crime that had been reported stating, “In another reported situation, a student who was speaking Spanish today was told, ‘Didn’t you hear that Trump was elected? You can’t speak that anymore. We’re building a wall. You should be taken back to your country…’”

Campus Climate hosted a post-election session in The Hall of Nations which allowed students to express concerns, vent, and converse with others about their frustrations. Resources were made available through Campus Climate, The Pride Center, The Counseling Center, and Student Life for both students and staff members to discuss the election aftermath.

On Nov. 10 students laid across Centennial Hall’s main floor to protest the results of the Presidential Election. They also protested making their way around the sidewalks of campus and through academic buildings. Signs read, “he’s not my president”, “black lives matter”, “love trumps hate” and more.

Demonstrations have persisted across other parts of the state and country including UW-Madison’s campus as well. Some of the crowds are accepting and some seem to critique the actions.

A UW-L junior student, Khadijah Islam, spoke about why she participated in today’s protests: she explained that it goes far beyond politics. “It’s going to affect people on a personal level. I found it incredibly moving and it restored my hope that we can still affect change even in the face of what feels like an immense roadblock.”

Students around campus continue to express their opinions from both sides: pro-Trump and anti-Trump. Campus Climate reached out in their recent Facebook post, on Nov. 9, saying, “Please join us in our efforts to reject prejudice, discrimination and acts of hate/bias in order to maintain and further a culturally diverse and inclusive campus climate where all identities and perspectives are embraced.”