By EMMA LAUS
On April 5, hundreds of protesters gathered at the Pavilion in Riverside Park in solidarity with the nationwide “Hands Off” demonstrations. According to the Associated Press, these protests have been planned by more than 150 groups across the country. They are dedicated to protesting the Trump administration’s attacks on public programs and civil rights.
Protesters from neighboring Wisconsin and Illinois communities traveled to Beloit, amassing a large crowd. A vast proportion of the crowd was made up of elderly community members, although people of all ages were present. The march began at 11 a.m. with a rally; the lawn was full of people waving homemade signs and flags.
The rally included speeches from community members, such as Megan Miller, a member of the Beloit School Board and Beloit College Professor of History, Ellen Joyce, who brought up the administration’s cuts on foreign aid programs.
Mark Spreitzer, a member of the Wisconsin state senate, also addressed the crowd, saying, “It can be overwhelming to think of every aspect of our government that has come under fire, but it is so important we don’t give up the details of what we have lost.” He reminded attendees that the administration had revoked policies lowering prescription drug prices for seniors, cut medical research, and reduced funding for healthcare and services like libraries and food banks.
A member of the organization “All of Us” was the last to speak, saying, “I’m grateful to you all for showing up, because showing up is the first act of resistance.” He addressed the ongoing mass deportations and detainment of pro-Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil, a Syrian-Palestinian Columbia University student who was arrested in March. “Where’s the compassion, where’s the humanity?” he asked. “It isn’t just poor policies, it’s systemic racism in action.”
After the rally, the march began, leading protestors on a loop around Rock River. Chants of “fuck Diane Hendricks” and “Elon Musk has got to go” passed through the crowd, which stretched for blocks. Christina Wales, who drove from Rockford to attend, says “Our future depends on us exercising our rights, and protesting is one of the most important rights.”
Featured image: Emma Laus
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