Austinites React to Trump's Inauguration

Donald Trump officially became the 45th president of the United States on Friday. Given the reaction to Trump’s election in Austin, there’s sure to be plenty of reaction to his ascendance to the presidency.

Follow along with our live blog as the day's events unfold.

10:39 p.m. – Austin Mayor Steve Adler was one of the speakers tonight at the LGBTQ rally for human rights at the Capitol. KUT's Syeda Hasan reports that he closed out the rally to big cheers and made light of threats by Gov. Greg Abbott to "ban Austin" for not cooperating with ICE over "sanctuary policies."

7:51 p.m. – KUT's Jorge Sanhueza-Lyon followed the One Alliance protesters as they went over the Congress Avenue bridge:

7:51 p.m. – The LGBTQ Community and Allies group is holding a rally on the steps of the Capitol. KUT's Syeda Hasan is there: 

6:16 p.m. – The One Resistance protesters have started marching from Auditorium Shores to the Capitol. 

6:16 p.m. – KUT's Syeda Hasan reports from the One Resistance rally at Auditorium Shores. 

5:44 p.m. – KUT's Audrey McGlinchy spoke with Council Member Greg Casar ahead of the One Resistance march. 

5:39 p.m. – KUT reporters went out in the field to find out the reaction to Trump's inauguration. 

5:23 p.m. – Attorney General Ken Paxton tweeted from Washington, D.C., where he attended Trump's inauguration. 

4:53 p.m. – KUT's Audrey McGlinchy and Syeda Hasan are down at Auditorium Shores ahead of the One Resistance protest. You can check out a Facebook Live below. 

Earlier this afternoon, McCallum High School students walked out of class shortly after 3 p.m. to join demonstrations downtown. 

3:09 p.m. – Protesters have arrived at the Texas State Capitol, but not before a few skirmishes between those participating in the  J20 march and those who are counter-protesting in support of President Trump outside the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum, according to The Texas Tribune's Alex Samuels.

After meeting at the Capitol, protesters will head across the river to join the One Resistance march, which will start at Auditorium Shores. 

KUT's Kate McGee is joining a walkout at McCallum High School, which got underway shortly after 3 p.m.

Students at Travis High School had reportedly also scheduled a walkout at the same time. 

KUT's Mose Buchele managed to snag a few moments with the Twitter famous Texas Supreme Court Justice Don Willett, who's on the shortlist of Trump Supreme Court nominees. Willett was attending the Texas Public Policy Foundation's Inauguration Day event and spoke briefly about his prospects as a potential pick for the highest court in the land. 

“ It is a rich privilege to be considered," Willett said. "And I’m confident that President Trump will appoint somebody who cares deeply about the rule of law.” 

You can listen to the raw audio of that exchange below. 

1:49 p.m. – As President Trump settles into his new Twitter account, protesters in Austin are on the move, marching from the UT South Mall en route to the Texas State Capitol. 

Meanwhile at the Capitol, KUT’s Mose Buchele stumbled across some counter-demonstrators waiting for the J20 crowd. 

In a reflective tweet, Mayor Steve Adler shared a letter he received from former President Obama. 

12:26 p.m. – Protests are underway under the UT Tower. The group is collection of campus groups organized to protest Donald Trump's presidency. 

Over at the TPPF event downtown, protesters have apparently interrupted the inauguration event that followed President Trump's inauguration.

11:54 a.m. – Demonstrators are gearing up on UT campus for the planned walkout, which is slated to start just after noon. 

The city's Mobility Department is also cautioning commuters ahead of the impending congestion in the downtown and UT campus areas this afternoon.

Credit Gabriel Cristóver Pérez / KUT

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KUT

11:34 a.m. – Austin conservatives at the Texas Public Policy Foundation watched the Inauguration Day festivities at the think tank’s downtown headquarters.

KUT’s Mose Buchele was there to get some reaction from attendees, and we’ll update this post with some of that in a bit.

Meanwhile in D.C., a few notable Austinites were among those at President Trump’s inauguration.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott scored a seat on the dais, tweeting a photo of the president during his address following his swearing in.  

Noted conspiracy theorist and InfoWars founder Alex Jones was also in attendance, per this tweet from Texas GOP politico Matt Mackowiak.