Editor’s Note: While participating in the UC Washington Center (UCDC) program, one of City on a Hill Press’ reporters went to the Capitol One Arena and around Washington D.C. to report on the Presidential Inauguration of Donald Trump.
At 8:45 a.m. on Jan. 20, hundreds of President Trump’s supporters stood in line outside of the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. — some having lined up as early as 10 o’clock the night before. The undeniable and jarring reality that is Donald Trump’s second inauguration finally settled in as I took in the sheer magnitude of the crowd.
I watched as others waited in anticipation to see President Trump on the first day of his term as President of the United States. Nearby, protesters expressed outrage at the Make America Great Again (MAGA) takeover.
Despite the inauguration itself being held inside, fans gathered around the arena in droves, enduring sub-freezing temperatures. The arena is capable of holding around 20,000 spectators, though even that was not sufficient for the approximately 220,000 people that had received tickets to see President Trump that day. 
Trump supporters continue to file into the Capital One Arena at 10:38 a.m.
By the entrance of the arena, Trump’s inaugural speech streamed from a looming jumbotron. Among the growing sea of MAGA supporters, people willing to speak out against the inaugural proceedings were difficult to find.
I often ground myself in knowing my peers at UC Santa Cruz will never be silenced by the bigoted rhetoric and language I heard that day. Yet, as I stood there alone, I realized how privileged I am to constantly be surrounded by like-minded individuals. It is those individuals whose livelihoods are now even more at-risk due to persecution, deportation and discrimination at the hands of President Trump and his administration.
While many people across the country spent the day mourning what they may lose over the next four years, others saw the day as cause for celebration.
Natasha Clark, a merchandise vendor, traveled 11 hours from Tennessee and arrived in Washington, D.C. on Jan. 16 to sell items like Trump shirts, beanies, cups and bobble heads. Clark was ecstatic to be in the area, experiencing the inauguration first-hand. 
Natasha Clark posing for a picture besides a Donald Trump cutout at her booth. 
Natasha Clark’s booth, filled with MAGA merchandise. Clark’s booth was one of the largest along H Street. 
Items being sold among the various booths range from “Make America Great Again” hats to animatronic Trump dolls and plushies.
Other merchandise being sold outside of the arena.
“There is so much to be excited about. I’m excited about prices normalizing, for men and women’s sports … it’s terrible to be training your whole life and then be beat by a man in a woman’s sport,” said Clark in reference to the rhetoric surrounding trans women in sports. The subject has dominated the Republican Party’s platform this past election season.
As a nonbinary, queer, neurodivergent college student and a child of immigrants, I felt sick to my stomach. Clark’s sentiments not only dismiss the enduring struggles of trans individuals, but represent hateful values that are unaccepting of anyone whose identity marginally diverges from the white, straight, status quo.
Trans lives deserve to be treated with respect and dignity. They should not be viewed solely through the lens of sports, which disregards trans identities with traditional and regressive policies upholding a two-gender binary. Her willingness to say such comments, a few streets away from the White House, showcases the hateful behaviour encouraged by President Trump.
Later, I spoke to Millie and Ben Hayes, a married couple hoping to view the celebrations from inside the arena. They are two of many who believe the events on January 6th were the manifestations of a peaceful protest that have been misrepresented as a riot. 
Millie and Ben Hayes waiting outside of Capital One Arena after being turned away at the entrance.
“It’s a big lie for the Democrats,” Ben Hayes said.
On January 6th, 2021, President Trump’s supporters, as well as groups like the Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers stormed the Capitol Building in an effort to prevent the transfer of power from Trump to Biden. Over 1,000 were arrested for vandalism, assault or interference with law enforcement officers — leading to outcry from the right in their defense.
“It was not an insurrection, you know,” Millie Hayes said. “It was wrongfully called an insurrection.”
Throughout the conversation the Hayes’ spoke candidly, with smiles on their faces. It was surreal to hear them, a registered nurse and a former phlebotomy technician, make these remarks with so much confidence. They were excited for policies intending to destroy vulnerable ecosystems, tear apart the lives of immigrant families and set a precedent for treason. I craved the reassurance of my colleagues at City on a Hill Press. Reassurance that those fighting for justice, racial equity and autonomy would prevail, even when outnumbered.
I later stumbled upon Dawn Fichtmer, a 47-year-old Texas native walking the streets of Chinatown in a satirical Trump costume.
“Well, you know, normally, inaugurations are something that we celebrate as Americans. We celebrate democracy, ” Fichtmer said. “And yet this, to me, is not a day for us to celebrate.”
Dawn Fichtmer in her full baby Donald Trump blow-up doll costume.
“We have a president who’s been elected, who is a 34-time convicted felon …. He committed treasonous acts,” Fichtmer said. “He incited other people to commit treason on our capital, and that’s just not something to celebrate.”
At 9:42 a.m. in Chinatown, an anti-Trump demonstration broke out. A group of 10 demonstrators linked arms, forming a small circle, and declared their outrage against the newly inaugurated president.
“In the name of humanity, we refuse to accept a fascist America,” the protesters chanted.
The group was quickly surrounded by MAGA supporters, reporters and police. All 10 demonstrators appeared to be wearing the same shirt with the phrase “Revolution-nothing less!” sprawled across the front.
Protesters being swarmed by Trump supporters and media.
Carl Dix, the organizer of the demonstration and founding member of the Revolutionist Communist Party, is a seasoned veteran of public demonstrations and civil disobedience. Dix’s first experiences with activism date back to the 1970s when he was imprisoned for refusing to participate in the draft during the Vietnam War, as well as openly decrying the military’s implementation of said draft. 
Carl Dix speaking with media outlets following the demonstration, outwardly expressing his distaste for the Trump administration.
“We came to deliver a message … [that we’re] willing to call this [fascism] what it is and to stop it from creating a profound political crisis,” Dix said. 
Trump supporters quickly empty out of the waiting lines after police officers turn them away, leaving an abandoned maze of barricades. 
Trump supporters pleading with guards to allow them entry to the arena and calling out to loved ones who made it beyond the wall. 
People grabbing bags, wallets, scarfs, coats, food and more from personal belongings left by President Trump’s supporters in front of the arena’s entrance.
Dix’s and Fichtmer’s acts of protest were the only two dissenting demonstrations I could find after nearly six hours of walking around the arena. Both demonstrations received backlash, but, to my dismay, Fichtmer specifically became the target of an aggressive confrontation.
During our conversation, she recalled an instance from earlier that day. MAGA supporters completely surrounded her, shouting profanities and demanding she leave the premises. Undeterred by their fear-mongering, Fichtmer continued wearing her costume with pride.
“Don’t be discouraged,” Fichtmer said. “You can keep fighting, and it still matters. And you’re the next generation. This matters for you most.”
