Via Community News Service, a University of Vermont journalism internship, on assignment for the Montpelier Bridge
Throngs of people braved a cold rain to rally against the Trump administration and tech billionaire Elon Musk on the Statehouse lawn in Montpelier on Saturday, part of a nationwide day of protest.
They carried signs with slogans like “Democracy dies in silence,” “We will not go back” and “Hands off our choices, hands off our bodies.”
“I feel inspired seeing everyone out here,” said Carly Trider of Burlington. “To see thousands of people in one place, all expressing the same sentiment is really nice.”
Jack Pitblado, who wrote for Community News Service in 2022, added this advice to other young people like himself: “Stand up, speak out and get involved locally.”
The “Hands Off! 2025” protest is a nationwide mobilization that aims to “defend democracy and constitutional rights,” according to protest organizers.
The Montpelier rally was hosted by 50501 Vermont, a grassroots organization, in partnership with other organizations. It was one of 22 planned for Vermont on Saturday, spanning from Brattleboro to Newport.
Estimating crowd sizes is difficult. Protest organizers estimated 15,000 people attended the rally. Montpelier Police Chief Eric Nordenson put the estimate at 5,000 – 6,000 people. People in the crowd who had attended previous statehouse protests estimated fewer than that.
The event featured speeches from Republican Lt. Governor John Rodgers as well as several Democrats: U.S. Sen. Peter Welch, Vermont Senate Majority Leader Kesha Ram Hinsdale and former Governor Madeleine Kunin.
The rally also included speeches by poets, professors and advocates from across the state.
Protesters carried American, Ukrainian, Palestinian and Canadian flags. At one point, the crowd broke out in the national anthem of Vermont’s embattled neighbors to the north.
“O, Canada, we stand on guard for thee,” they sang.
“I think people have to get loud,” said Rep. Conor Casey, D-Montpelier. “I think we need to show a toughness that maybe as activists we haven’t shown before in Vermont.”
Casey recalled how Montpelier citizens came together after the devastating 2023 floods.
“After the flood, I was really heartened with the sense of community we have in Vermont,” Casey said. “You didn’t ask somebody’s political affiliation before you went down into their basement to haul out a slimy couch.”
State Treasurer Mike Pieciak spoke from the podium before joining the crowd below. He said voters are frustrated with Trump’s disdain for American values: the rule of law, due process and fairness in the international realm.
“We’ve traditionally been an international leader for all things that we think are morally important,” Pieciak said. “We’ve taken the back seat on all of that.”
Sen. Tanya Vyhovsky, P/D-Chittenden Central, also mentioned concern for the administration’s impact on international relations, specifically worries that Trump’s relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin is dangerous.
“Unlike past times when we saw a global rise in authoritarianism, we can be much more connected around the globe,” Vyhovsky said. “And I think we have to be.”
Rick Hubbard of South Burlington said people of all political affiliations are unhappy about the direction of the country. They just don’t all agree on what to do.
“People of all parties are upset that the majority of our elected reps have not measured up,” Hubbard said. “People are separating on how to fix these issues, but they all want it fixed, regardless of which way they voted.”
There was one thing nearly everyone emphasized: the importance of maintaining a sense of community, even in times of political polarization.
“There’s a lot that does connect us”, said Julie Bomengen, a mental health counselor from Elmore. “I really hope that people can lead with compassion and empathy.”
