Around 250 Lawrence community members filled the four corners at Ninth and Massachusetts streets Sunday to express their concerns about the state of America’s democracy.
People held signs with messages ranging from “Grannies against fascism” to “Stop the regime of Trump/Putin/Musk! Free the USA!” Other signs read “Something smells verrrry musky” and “Kindness over cruelty, truth over lies.”
Several also pushed for the “firing” of multibillionaire Elon Musk, the Tesla and Twitter CEO who many are calling Donald Trump’s “co-president.” Musk has drawn backlash for everything from his oversight of the “Department of Government Efficiency” that was behind sweeping federal cuts — including termination of about three dozen people at Haskell Indian Nations University — to giving a nazi salute at Trump’s inauguration and more.
Many drivers honked as they passed through the intersection.
Robin Gingerich organized Sunday’s event. Some folks are calling themselves “local friends of democracy,” and some are calling the gatherings “resist rallies,” but the protesters aren’t under the umbrella of any formal organization, Gingerich said.
“This is simply a grassroots effort of citizens expressing — being a witness to their views,” she said. “… I think overall, what everybody here is trying to express is our concern for our democracy, so regardless of what topic they’ve chosen, whether it’s Elon Musk or some of the firings that have gone on, the umbrella is our democracy.”
One protester, Jean Miller, said she’s never been an activist before, and she had never held a sign until a protest in Topeka last month.
“I’m fighting for our country,” another protester said. “Our democracy is crumbling by the minute ever since Trump took over and his cabinet, and I’m supporting Ukraine — I’m supporting basically everything that they’re trashing.”
Don Miller, husband of Jean Miller, said Americans didn’t elect Musk. Don said he was fighting for jobs, for our national parks, for people who are having their freedoms taken away and for the LGBTQ community.
“Seems like there’s so many rights all of a sudden being taken away and we need to stand up and say ‘No, this isn’t right,'” Don said.
Protests are currently planned to continue each Sunday.
“If you’re concerned about what’s happening in our country, then join us,” Gingerich said. To those who feel the same way but didn’t show up Sunday, Gingerich said to “know that they’re not alone.”
Post updated to add video at 8:48 p.m. Sunday, March 2
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Nathan Kramer (he/him), a multimedia student journalist for The Lawrence Times since August 2024, is a junior at Free State High School. He is also a video editor for Free State’s student publication, where he works as a videographer, photographer and motion designer. See more of his work for the Times here.
— Reporter Mackenzie Clark contributed to this article.
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