Protesters in Eugene continue to say they are fed up with President Donald Trump’s policies on immigration, gender, the environment, foreign affairs and federal funding. Around 1,000 protesters gathered down the street from the Saturday Market, for several hours starting noon April 19. The protest was a continuation of the April 5 “HandsOff!” demonstrations taking place across the country.
April 19 marks the day the American Revolution began in 1775 with the battles of Lexington and Concord.
The Eugene protest was originally organized by activist group 50501, but it backed out after not being able to adequately ensure the security of protesters, according to local organizer Boris Wiedenfeld Needham.
Wiedenfeld Needham says he respects 50501’s decision but believes that the people need to show up regardless. “I just believe that the time is ticking so fast right now, so you can’t take two weeks off,” Wiedenfeld Needham says.
Wiedenfeld Needham says he coordinated with the general manager of Saturday Market and the Eugene Police Department a day before the event to ensure the safety of protesters. What originally started as an online post with 150 RSVPs soon turned into a massive protest that took up all of Pearl Street from East 7th Avenue to East Broadway.
Eugene Weekly posts notifications of upcoming protests in its weekly Activist Alert column.
Protesters chanted slogans like, “No Trump, No KKK, No Fascist USA,” and held signs reading, “Fuck ICE,” “Impeach and Arrest,” and “Trump Is a Fascist Traitor.”
A common concern among protesters was their disdain for Immigrations Customs Enforcement or ICE, which has been a subject of great controversy as of late with Trump’s aggressive deportation policies, including improperly deporting an El Salvadoran man, Kilmar Abrego Garcia due to an “administrative error,” as well as a gay Venezuelan makeup artist, Andry Romero. Both were sent to a maximum security prison in El Salvador under unproven allegations of gang membership and without having been convicted of a crime.
Trump recently voiced his intent to send American citizens to the controversial prisons of El Salvador in a meeting with Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele. “Homegrown criminals are next,” Trump said.
Protesters say they are fearful that Trump and his administration are forgoing due process and sending American citizens abroad with no legal basis. “Even if he’s talking about people with records, it doesn’t matter, because he’s throwing due process and everything out the window,” protester Ethan Birchfield says. Another protester, Xrobin Ruiz says, “My family are immigrants and I do not think that anybody should be deported even if they are not legally here.”
Another common theme was the issue of LGBTQ+ rights, as many protesters held signs saying, “Trans Rights Are Human Rights,” and “Guard My Body Not My Bathroom.”
Ruiz is nonbinary and said they know other trans people who are concerned. Even though Oregon is known for its progressive LGBTQ+ policies, Ruiz is still worried. “It could happen here too,” Ruiz says, referring to the rollback of gender affirming care in other states.
The protest was overwhelmingly peaceful. One altercation occurred between two juveniles holding a “Make America Great Again” flag and a protester. Witnesses allege the protester, Sarah Frank, confronted the two boys and grabbed the flag. The two boys then pushed Frank, causing her to fall into the street. Police quickly intervened and deescalated the scene. Frank says she was cited for disorderly conduct and the two boys were told to leave. “I am planning on pressing charges,” Frank says.
Protesters say despite the numerous concerning actions they see Trump is taking, they remain hopeful for the future of the country and will keep fighting for democracy. “I have a lot of hope for the future if we continue to pay attention to corruption, greed and the dismantling of our rights and our way of life,” protester Darwin Denny says.
Photos by Eve Weston.
