1 day Ago By Cy Neff For the Wyoming Tribune Eagle
CHEYENNE — Cheyenne resident April Clarke stood in the thick of a 300-person crowd at the state Capitol on Saturday, holding a sign that read “My kids will know I did not sit quietly.” Clarke said she’s worried about the direction the Trump administration is steering the country in — the “ostracization” of communities, particularly LGBTQ+ Americans, and massive governmental cuts. “I know all the work that the Department of Ed does for special education,” Clarke said.
“I’ve got two little kids and I’d like them to live in a positive place.” Clarke, and the hundreds with her in front of the Capitol, made up one of hundreds of anti-Trump protests that took place across the country Saturday. The demonstrations have been dubbed the “Hands Off!” protests, and on their official website, they are described as a “nationwide mobilization to stop the most brazen power grab in modern history.
” The website declares that President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk “want to strip America for parts.” This sentiment was prominently on display in downtown Cheyenne. Protesters carried a spread of signs, including “Orange lies matter,” “Deport Musk,” “Fire Trump” and “No human is illegal on stolen land.
” Protest organizer Joe Ramirez led the crowd in call-and-response chants, with “This is what Democracy looks like” being the most common. Ramirez, a local veteran, has held protests at the Wyoming Capitol throughout 2025. Saturday’s turnout had Ramirez in high spirits.
“This makes me feel stoked — that change is coming, that people are ready for it,” Ramirez said. Barbara Vasquez, a Laramie resident, was concerned enough by the administration to make the drive east on Interstate 80, even though her own community also hosted a demonstration. Vasquez, who used to work at the NIH, said she saw the “devastation” of the CDC and medical research as “unconscionable.
” “This administration is making changes to the executive function that are going to kill our democracy,” Vasquez said. Cheyenne resident John Sheffield was decked out in red, white and blue and wore a stars-and-stripes baseball cap. Sheffield said he’s worried about the direction the Trump administration is steering the country.
“I support our Constitution above all else,” Sheffield said. “A lot of the executive orders should have gone through Congress legally, and they did not.” No speeches were given.
Some protestors brought their dogs, many mingled with cups of coffee in hand. A few pickup trucks cruised by with Make America Great Again flags and Trump paraphernalia. A group of around 20 counter-protesters stationed themselves across the street, many waving a variety of Trump flags, one holding up a sign that said “Do your research.
” Brian Pixley was one of the 20, and showed up to take a stand against “far radical left protesters.” Pixley said those protesting the administration had their facts wrong. “They just need to be reeducated,” Pixley said.
James Hunter, who arrived up with his family to protest, said he was especially motivated to show up because of the lack of due process in the Trump administration’s mass deportation campaign. “Our country is going down and ignoring history. I think we’re in danger of going into fascism, and seeing rights taken away every day is disheartening,” Hunter said.
“America’s losing our status in the world because of what’s going on in this administration.”.
