Hundreds of people gathered at Pioneer Park in Rhinelander to protest the Trump Administration.
It was one of several held Saturday in the Northwoods and among the thousands of other protests nationwide as part of the ‘No Kings’ protests.
In Rhinelander, Victoria Brandt gave a speech before people started lining Oneida Avenue. Brandt is a member of the leadership committee for Northern Lights Indivisible.
“Individually, we might feel small compared to this machinery of this regime, but together, organized, united and relentless, we can shake the ground they stand on,” Brandt told the crowd.
She encouraged the crowd to stay “peaceful, but never passive” and to be joyful.
Brandt told WXPR she’s experienced a lot of emotions in recent months, especially with the ICE arrests and what’s been happening to immigrants.
“As a Mexican, born in Mexico, I've never worried about my citizenship before. I think I'm probably safe. But who knows?” said Brandt. “I balance it out with I know what's happening. I know the news, and I'm just going to keep fighting and finding joy, finding community. I love these protests. Every time I leave here, I feel so empowered.”
Organizers played dance music over the speakers. Some protesters were dressed in inflatable costumes like the frogs that have become common at the ICE protests in Portland.
Every once in a while they’d break into a chant of “The people united will never be defeated.”
Protesters held signs ranging from “No Crown for the Clown” to “Hate Never Made Any Nation Great” to “Defend the Constitution”. There were also a lot of American flags and signs saying, “I love America.”
The latter was in response to House Speaker Mike Johnson referring to the protests as “Hate America” rallies.
“When I was listening to the news and I heard that, I made myself another sign that says I love America, because all of us here love America,” said one protester.
For many, this protest was about protecting democracy.
“Our democracy is being attacked. My parents were from Germany, and they went through this and never again,” said Carmen pointing to her sign that included a crossed-out swastika. “All my relatives in Germany cannot believe that this is happening to America.”
The crowd stretched just about the length of Pioneer Park along Oneida Avenue.
Many passing cars honked in a support. Some in opposition to the protest burned rubber and made displays of profanity.
Organizers estimated about 1,000 people at the protest in Rhinelander. Locally, protests were also held in Ironwood, Eagle River, Minocqua, Phillips, and Wausau. They joined thousands of others across the Wisconsin.
