LAS VEGAS (KLAS) – Las Vegas Strip protestors marched Wednesday afternoon to the Trump International Hotel under police escort, while similar protests assembled across the country.
Around 50 people gathered in front of the Bellagio Fountains at 2:30 p.m. with signs and megaphones, announcing an intention to march on Trump Hotel International. A smaller group was observed gathering on 6th Street and Stanley W. Cooper Place, on the east side of the Las Vegas Federal Courthouse.
Moments after marchers began walking on the sidewalk toward Trump Hotel International, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police vehicles turned on their lights and sirens and followed alongside the protestors.
Marchers arrived at Las Vegas Boulevard and Fashion Show Drive around 3:10 p.m. and began to discuss the reasons they assembled.
“We just want representation,” Justice Butteling, a Las Vegas resident and protestor, said. “We want all of us to feel comfortable and not deal with the Nazi or fascists.”
Butteling said she saw the plan for the march on social media and was told it would be connected to a national movement, 50501—which stands for “50, states, 50 protests, one day,” according to CBS reporting.
Some of the protestors had signs indicating opposition to recent federal immigration policy changes, and actions by Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla.
“I want to make sure that everybody feels safe,” Butteling said. “I want everybody in this country to feel like they’re welcome and they shouldn’t feel like this. This shouldn’t be allowed. I was very emotional [and] crying when I was hearing this stuff happen.”
LVMPD officers indicated Fashion Show Drive, which is partially a private road, would be open for marchers to go down, but the group decided to march back to the Bellagio Fountains where they ended their 3-hour protest.
8 News Now observed around 10 LVMPD officers interact and search two marchers from the protest, once it was completed, who then appeared to interact with private security for the Bellagio property. The two marchers told 8 News Now they were trespassed from the property for standing on a wall while taking photos.
Some marchers told 8 News Now similar protests are planned this week for Las Vegas, pointing to a flyer that indicated a march this Saturday, no location was provided.
