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Thousands of people descended upon the Washington Capitol Campus in Olympia on Saturday, April 5, to protest federal program cuts and policies implemented by President Donald Trump at the beginning of his second term in the White House.
The protest was one of hundreds of related nonviolent events that took place across the country and state, including Bellingham, Everett, Port Angeles, Seattle and Vancouver, in a series of demonstrations billed as “Hands Off!” by organizers.
Local protesters carried signs emblazoned with phrases that read: “Fight Facism,” “Hands Off!” and “Pete Hegseth is a DUI hire,” as they paraded about the campus during the two-hour event. There were also numerous calls for action via chants, including “Remove, Reverse, Reclaim” and “Lock him up,” throughout the event.
Other protesters, such as Jeff Snyder of Olympia, sat quietly on the steps of the Winged Victory Monument while music blared from a nearby band. He was holding a large “RESIST FACISM” sign.
“I put my thoughts on my sign,” said Snyder, as he took in the scope of the event that drew several thousand people to the campus on a sunny afternoon.
Snyder said he was grateful to be able to participate in the demonstration after a lengthy hospital stay kept him off his feet.
“I laid in a hospital bed for a month a while back and the only thing I could really think about was how I was upset that I couldn’t get out of bed and go do my thing, which is this — protest,” Snyder said.
Participants also took aim at billionaire industrialist Elon Musk, who has been at the center of federal job cuts in his role with the Department of Government Efficiency, with signs reading “Musk is a Nazi, “Fight Fascism” and “Dusk Musk.”
The event was spearheaded by Evergreen Resistance, the Washington Chapter of the 50501 Movement which orchestrated a nationwide series of events on Feb. 5 aimed at calling out Trump administration policies largely enacted by a string of executive orders.
One of those executive orders struck home with demonstration participant Betty Metz of Lacey, who took umbrage with an action by Trump on March 27 that targeted the Smithsonian Institute for coming “under the influence of a divisive, race-centered ideology” in recent years.
“This shift has prompted narratives that portray American and Western values as inherently harmful and oppressive,” the executive order states.
Metz said “you can’t renew history” and the Trump administration’s attempt to do so was frightening.
“Just, I’m scared. I’m scared,” said Metz on Saturday of the steps taken by Trump to shape the country in his vision.
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COLHOTY22
A beautiful day, a beautiful experience. It felt great to exercise my 1st amendment rights and peacefully assemble to collectively show the dissatisfaction with this current administration
Monday, April 7 Report this
bonaro
https://www.facebook.com/reel/3762699504041272
Monday, April 7 Report this
Boatyarddog
Exactly, This Incompentant Administration is PUNITIVE, Inconsistant, Arbitrary, full of Misinformation and Out right Deceptive.
It is an Attack on Normal Americans.
Special Intrests rule the Agenda, and for the Rich, not the 99%.
THEY WILL BE REPLACED!
Monday, April 7 Report this
They offer no policy prescriptions only fanciful notions of harmful impacts feared but unrealized. Meanwhile the country pays 3 billion dollars each day for interest on a runaway national debt of more than 35 trillion. The progressives party on and that’s the sorry condition our condition is in.
Monday, April 7 Report this
sunshine39
To that list of adjectives add "cruel". There are better ways to improve the operation of our government that respect rights and laws and dignity.
The chainsaw is symbolic of their attitude toward our citizens
The best sign said something like "Not enough room on this page to express my outrage."
Monday, April 7 Report this
WillStuivenga
The one person who has commented anonymously (so far, anyway) says that "they" (presumably meaning the progressives who protested on Saturday) have "only fanciful notions of harmful impacts feared but unrealized." I can only assume that this anonymous individual hasn't been paying any attention to the stock market over the past few days. Trump has personally and willfully caused a loss of over $6 trillion (!) in wealth to our nation through his completely insane tariff regime. Personally, my own relatively modest 401K accounts have lost at least 5 figures. And now the economic experts are all predicting an imminent recession. And to quote Mr. (or Ms.) anonymous again, "that's the sorry condition our condition is in" and will continue to be in as long as the idiot Trump retains power.
Tuesday, April 8 Report this
pbaron1902
I was there and proud of it! Heartening to see so many folks who realize what Trump ad his minions are doing to our wonderful republic. See you all at the nxt one...
Tuesday, April 8 Report this
Southsoundguy
lol cry harder! More tariffs, more DOGE! End the neoliberal world order!
Tuesday, April 8 Report this
Deanima
Someone hit Southsoundguy upside the head with the definition of "neoliberal" and all we heard was a hollow sound. He's consistently the dumbest commenter on this site.
Tuesday, April 8 Report this
Dogbody
Oh no! I missed this event. I really wanted to support all the grifter's misusing public funds. I also want to show my complete solidarity with the oppressed gangbanger class. Hands off our gang members!
Tuesday, April 8 Report this
Snevets
✊✊✊✊
Tuesday, April 8 Report this
Yeti1981
Unfortunately, this also distracts from our local condition. Tax proposals currently in consideration could price families like mine out of our homes, and likely out of this state. One of the budget proposals would even remove $10k of annual income from my family. Republican or Democrat, it doesn't matter, we're all about to be crushed by this state's desire for revenue.
Tuesday, April 8 Report this
Holley
Thank you for covering the huge rally. Hopefully, this is just the beginning of a massive movement for justice and democracy. Those laughing at us need to educate themselves. It was awesome to be with fellow Americans on Saturday at the Capitol. There were millions across the nation that came out. Stop the cruel and racist oppression that will only get worse if we don’t push back.
Tuesday, April 8 Report this
Boatyarddog
SOUTHSOUNDGUY is a Troll.
Never has anyone shown just how Uninformed and Plain STUPID one can be.
Watch as HE continues to show ignorance and stupidity.
We Can just Ignore his comments.
Tuesday, April 8 Report this
RedskinPatriot
There are so many uninformed people on this thread and in that audience, it makes me sad for the state of our education system.
However, I am really happy that we are witnessing a politician who campaigned on everything that has been implemented. Finally, someone who campaigns on what they will do if elected and then follows through with it! Yes!!! Finally!!!
In Bill Clinton's 1992 address to the DNC - he campaigned on cutting 100k (Yes, 100,000) bureaucrats and hiring 100k (yes, 100,00) policemen and women. Additionally, Pelosi, Schumer, and Obama have all said the government waste must be eliminated... but yet, they never acted on it. This is not me - these are facts - look them up. I am 100% right and my argument cannot be broken. No matter how emotional someone gets, I'm right!
This is the first time in my lifetime that a politician ran a campaign on cuts and limiting government - to include: tariffs, cutting spending, putting America and American's first... and then he actually does it! This is awesome yet no one with TDS can give him or this admiration any credit. If Trump took up the fight for cancer these people would defend the rights of tumors... They cannot see the logic behind what he and his team are doing, no matter what. (BTW - Social Security is a ponzi scam - The CBO has stated we will not be able to afford it in two years - again, not me... These are facts)
Now, I'm not saying all of this is great - I don't want people to lose their jobs, I do not want the stock market to go down. However, accountability must happen. The same bureaucrat that wrote an EPA regulation that caused the Spotted Owl fiasco didn't care when all those mills were shut down and jobs were lost... This just demonstrates just how far out of touch American's are with the Constitution. The Federal Government was never intended to fully involve itself into everyday lives (healthcare, education, housing, transportation, law enforcement, etc...) this was supposed to be governed by people that are closest to those institutions. IE the states, counties, cities... Not/NOT the federal government. This is why we are not/NOT a Democracy - we are a Federal Republic. The word Democracy does not appear in the Constitution - again, that is a fact. Period - end of story.
So, what is more cruel - the fact we have become dependent on the Federal Government for giving away these handouts or the Federal Government that is righting the ship and making Americans less dependent on Federal Grants/loans/handouts? We (yes, we the People) should never have let the Federal Government get so bloated in the first place. There is no reason we should send money 3,000 miles away only to lobby for that same money to come back to our state.
I'm 100% right - my argument cannot be broken no matter what your academic pedigree is or how emotional one gets; I will always win the argument because it is rooted in the Constitution. Not emotionally driven arguments based on feelings.
Tuesday, April 8 Report this
Boatyarddog
RS Patriot...... another Ego maniac.
Trump is a liar, continously!
Uber rich and couldn't care less, did he campaign on Hurting Millions, wiping out their 401ks NO! He Campaigned on lowering food prices, Lie, ending war in Ukraine, Lie strenghtening our Economy LIE.
Watch him burn it all down.
You've been Duped!
Wednesday, April 9 Report this
Dogmom
To Redskin Patriot.. I couldn't have said it better. These far lefties with TDS keep forgetting that the majority of voters in this country overwhemingly voted for President Trump & his policies. U might think he's moving too fast but if he doesn't get all of his policies put in place, the next Democrat President will take all the good work & go right back to the waste, fraud & abuse policies that got us in this mess. I can't believe so many of you are against getting rid of the billions & billions of wasteful spending of our tax dollars.
Monday, April 14 Report this