7:31 p.m. ET, October 30, 2018
Pittsburgh councilman on Trump's visit: "Today wasn't a time to draw more national attention to us"
People gather near the Tree of Life Congregation on Oct. 30, 2018 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to protest against President Trump.
(BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images)
As President Trump paid
a solemn visit Tuesday to the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, shouts of protest could be heard in the distance.
Outside the synagogue, angry neighbors formed a march near where the President was paying his respects. Several carried signs objecting to Trump's visit, bearing slogans like "Words Matter," "Strength through Unity," "Watch Your Words" and "Hate does not work in our Neighborhoods."
(Photo by Jeff Swensen/Getty Images)
It was a sign that Trump's presence in the city was not welcomed by many residents and local officials, who said they asked the White House to delay a visit until after the victims of the attack were buried.
Pittsburgh Councilman Corey O'Connor told CNN he was with demonstrators when they started their march.
"I think to their point and to the city's point, we're sort of saying, 'Now is not the time.' Today, we were grieving, we're going to be grieving for the next few weeks and today wasn't a time to draw more national attention to us," he said.
O'Connor continued: "We are a tough city. We are going to get through this, we are all going to battle together and that's what Pittsburgh is all about. And we will get through this, but today was a difficult time for additional attention."