Anti-Trump demonstration draws 1,500

About 1,500 protesters swarmed the Capitol in Olympia Feb. 5 to protest Trump administration policies on immigration, LGBTQ+ rights and plans laid out in Project 2025, a conservative playbook for slashing the size of government.

The protest was part of a nationwide effort to stage rallies in every state capital on the same day. Most attendees said they learned of the planned protest through social media and word of mouth. Olympia resident Rita Homan said her daughter told her and decided to come with her.

"I wanted her to see that no matter what she's seeing in the news, that there are people that care and they're all around us," Homan said.

Kyle Bozich, one of the organizers of the event, called the turnout a sign of the growing dissatisfaction with President Trump's actions.

"We want to carry a message of impeaching President Trump, investigating Elon Musk and his unjust and unconstitutional actions, especially with regards to the Treasury Department," Bozich said.

On the same day, Trump signed an executive order banning trans women from competing in women's sports. Cyprian Greenman, said this worries him, as it could be just the first step in Trump's efforts to roll back LGBTQ+ rights.

The protests began around noon and reached their peak around 2:30 p.m. People marched from the Legislative Building steps to the campus lawn and finally to side streets chanting: "Trump and Musk have got to go." The rally dissolved around 4 p.m.

"Right now we feel that not every voice is being heard. Our friends in the trans community, our friends in the LGBTQ + community in general," Bozich said. "It's time for Democrats to step up to speak out, to take charge and to really do something."

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