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Hundreds of students walk out of D.C. area schools to protest Trump

Students from several DC area public schools walked out Tuesday only a day after Montgomery County students protested president-elect Donald Trump.

Students from several DC area public schools walked out Tuesday only a day after Montgomery County students protested president-elect Donald Trump.

In D.C., the student-organized protest started around noon. All of the students gathered outside of the Trump International Hotel in Northwest, D.C. and could be heard chanting "not our president."

RELATED: Student protester describes march, friend's arrest

By 2:30 p.m., hundreds of students had marched to the Lincoln Memorial.

“I know it won’t make a difference in the election, but it’ll make a difference in the world. We’re spreading the love,” one student said.

RELATED: Hundreds of students walk out of Md. high schools to protest Trump

The students, some as young as 13 years old, were heard chanting various phrases, including "Black lives matter" and "No hate, no fear, everyone is welcome here."

We really need to stand up for ourselves in this situation," said Lauren, one of the students marching in D.C. "Eventually we’re going to be adults, and we need to think about our futures and the futures of the children who come after us. We need to make this country safer and more stable."

It is unclear how many students are taking part. The majority of students appeared to be from D.C. Public Schools, however some said they were from Montgomery County Public Schools.

DCPS officials emailed a statement that said today's walkout was not sponsored by the school district.

DCPS statement:

"DC Public Schools (DCPS) respects and defends all students’ right to self-expression and peaceful protest, and we are committed to our students being informed and engaged in their community in constructive ways.

"Today’s event was not school- or DCPS-sponsored, and neither schools nor district administrators were involved in or consulted with during the planning of this event. All students are expected to be in school throughout the day, and any student who leaves will receive an unexcused absence for periods they miss. The safest place for students to be during school hours is in their school building.

"As educators, we empower students to be inquisitive, informed, and engaged citizens who use critical thinking, inquiry, and literacy to prepare for college, careers, and civic life. We highly value and are committed to fostering a learning environment where students feel safe and secure, and we encourage teachers and students to discuss the issues surrounding the walk-out so that students can explore their questions and express their opinions in safe environments."

Darren Woodruff, a chairman on the D.C. Public Charter School Board, said he was proud of the students for walking out.

One student from private D.C. school Edmund Burke School said half of the student population left class to protest. She said the head of the administration allowed students to leave and was going to waive the typical punishment for an unexcused absence. Normally students would be docked 1% on their overall grade for skipping school.

At about 1:30 p.m. in Beltsville, Md., students walked out of High Point High School. Within minutes, they formed a line blocking Powder Mill Road. Sky9 showed students sitting in the road and blocking traffic. Several police cruisers were in the road in front of the students. Within a half hour, the students were moved out of the road.

A concerned parent told WUSA9 that she is worried but at the same time very proud of her daughter.

Several students said that they are out protesting against the president-elect because they believe he is dividing the country.

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