Thread by @NOLAnews

We’re following protesters as they walk towards the Convention Center, calling for an end to the shutdown and a “national emergency against Trump.” The President is speaking in New Orleans today at the National Farm Bureau Federation's convention.

Everyone’s bundled up in the 40 degree weather, but the crowd’s energy is still contagious.

The group is also against the President’s consideration to pull money for the wall from the Army Corps of Engineers, funding that was to be used for disaster relief projects like flooding prevention.

Just one of the many homemade posters out here today:

20 minutes into the protest and the crowd has doubled. Soon they’ll make their way to the Convention Center.

“Who dat say we’re going to stop that Trump?”
“We dat, we dat”

“How do we make New Orleans rise?” “Educate, agitate, organize!” is another chant heard today.

The NAACP is here today joining the New Orleans People’s Assembly and the New Orleans Workers’ Center for Racial Justice. They’ve had about half an hour of speakers from these groups, reminding the crowd of what they’re protesting.

And the walk to the Convention Center, where Trump is speaking, is beginning

This float is being pulled down Canal St.

The crowd seems even bigger now.

The protesters say they hope to show the country that New Orleans doesn’t support Trump.

Organizers say they wanted to show the power of the people by shutting down Canal St. before marching to the Convention Center. They’re now turning down St. Charles.

Marching down Julia Street, getting closer to the Convention Center.

The protesters reached their final destination. They’ve been protesting for an hour and a half now.

There are no more than a dozen counter protesters here.

As far as they can go. Trump is speaking right inside the building.

Protesters chant “Lock him up” right outside the New Orleans Convention Center, where @realDonaldTrump is speaking today.