GRAND ISLAND – Approximately 30 people with signs stood May 15 on the sidewalk on the north side of the office building where U.S. Rep. Adrian Smith’s office is located at 1811 W. 2nd St. to protest the Trump administration.
Each person at the protest had a sign. As traffic passed by on West Second Street, many drivers were honking their vehicles’ horns.
Mena Sprague of St. Paul said that three groups organized the gathering. They were the Hall/Hamilton/Howard Democratic Party, Central Nebraska Peace Workers, and Nebraskans for Peace.
She said that people were protesting “because of what has happened with the new President.”
“It’s all the things they’ve done to destroy our democracy,” she said.
Sprague said this is the third local protest this year.
Judy Vohland of Grand Island said, “We have to do something.”
“I spent many years in New York, so I am familiar with his (Trump’s) actions,” she said.
She is concerned about possible cuts to Medicaid. She said that Medicaid is important as a financial resource for nursing homes and rehabilitation facilities.
She said with tariffs, “prices are going to go up.”
“I don’t agree with his attitudes toward women” or minorities, Vohland said.
“We’ve turned into a real oligarchy,” she said.
The group is planning another protest in Grand Island June 14 on the sidewalk in front of the Grand Island Veterans Hospital. She said that site was chosen to show support for veterans.
She said that the organizers of the May 15 protest want to develop a website with people from Buffalo and Adams counties where people can go for information. She said there is a Facebook page titled, “Hall County Democrats Grand Island, Nebraska.”
