Hundreds of Utahns gathered at the Cache County Courthouse on Saturday as part of a nationwide protest against policies, executive orders, and cuts from the Trump administration.
Some demonstrations focus on one specific issue, like immigration or education, but participants at the "Hands Off!" protest in Logan — one of 1,300 held across the nation and even internationally, according to organizers — came for dozens of reasons.
"We’re angry about everything that Trump is doing,” one protestor said. “You can't put enough things on the sign.”
“My husband works for the Forest Service and does a stream monitoring program, and we are very concerned that his program will get cut, making him lose his job,” another said.
“18 years ago, I stood on these steps to speak against a president who lied and sent my son to his death in Iraq,” Kathy Snyder said. “Once again, we have a president who shows no respect for the military.”
Other issues included LGBTQ+ rights, freedom of speech, healthcare, and privacy of both personal and national information.
Some demonstrators also voiced not just their own concerns, but those of community members who were afraid to join them at the protest.
“I have a friend who I invited to this ... but they're worried about their visa status,” one protestor said, “so I have to be twice as loud for that person at the very least.”
Another speaker read a note from a local high school student who is usually active at protests, but who was worried attending would threaten her extended family members who are in the U.S. without legal status.
“I feel like I’m falling in line with what Trump's agenda hopes to achieve, but the level of fear that's imposed, especially in the Latino community, is insurmountable,” the speaker read.
What tied these protestors of various ages, jobs, and even political views together was opposition to the Trump administration’s plans and policies, from immigration raids to tariffs to the mass firing of federal workers.
Attendees didn’t only come to share their concerns, however — there was also a focus on finding what each person could do in their own community to make change happen.
“Meet people, do things, sign petitions, get out there, keep at it,” an event leader said. “Vote, register, go forward.”
“It is really difficult with everything going on, to choose something to prioritize, and it's really intimidating, but choose something,” added a local healthcare provider. “You can't choose everything, so choose one thing ... and hopefully we can each make an impact with what we have time to do.”
