'It's pretty powerful': N.L. playwright witnesses LAX weekend protest of Trump's travel ban

Local playwright Robert Chafe had an up close view of one of the large protests that broke out at major U.S. airports this weekend in response to President Donald Trump's executive orderbarring citizens from sevenMuslim-majority countries from entering the country.

"It's kind of an incredible show of resistance here ... it's pretty powerful," Chafe told CBC News Sunday from the Los Angeles International Airport.

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Chafe choked back tears as he recalled the scene of hundreds of people inside the airport.

"Lawyers with signs, saying if you need help, [here's] free help. Seeing families arrive, kids with signs ... they just filled the terminal," he said.

Chafe said loud chants of 'No wall' and 'Immigrants are welcome here' could be heard clearly.

"It's very moving."

Trump's executive order affects travellers fromSyria, Sudan, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Yemen and Somalia. A federal judge on Saturday ruled people with validvisas could remain in the country.

Chafe said while people appeared passionate, they were peaceful and he didn't see any confrontations between the crowd and security guards or police.

'Troubling and terrifying'

Chafe said he didn't fear for his safety, on this particular trip or any other travels, but knows that's not a luxury that everyone gets to enjoy.

"I'm an incredibly privileged person. I'm a white guy, you know? I'm a gay white guy... but I can exist in this world pretty easily and pretty safely."

"But a lot of the people protesting down here know that they can't or people they know can't," he said.

Chafe said seeing people rally made him question what's next for the country.

"Watching Muslim families, and otherwise, walking through the airport, just wondering what must be on their minds. The worry about what has happened and what could happen in the future," he said.

"It's troubling and it's terrifying."