Hundreds of people demonstrated in Mogadishu on Friday to protest comments made by U.S. President Donald Trump about Somali immigrants.
The protest was a response to statements President Trump made during a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday. He referred to Somali immigrants as “garbage” and said, “Somali Americans contribute nothing. We don’t want them in our country.”
Protesters in Mogadishu carried banners and images of U.S. Democratic Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, who is of Somali descent. They chanted anti-Trump slogans.
One protester stated, “We are protesting against Trump’s insulting words, calling us garbage. We are not garbage.” Another said, “Trump has violated our dignity and we will not accept what he called us.”
The U.S. is home to more than a quarter of a million people of Somali descent. President Trump’s comments were reportedly triggered by reports of fraud in Social Security programs in Minnesota, which has a large Somali community.
Minnesota Governor Tim Waltz has condemned Trump’s comments. The remarks have been met with shock and condemnation in both the U.S. and Somalia.
