Large groups assembled in Oshkosh and Appleton on April 5 to protest the actions of President Donald Trump and his counterpart Elon Musk. The protests were part of a mass mobilization of over 1200 protests in all 50 states, and were just two of the 39 scheduled in Wisconsin.
Signs at the gathering read things like, “Defend Democracy” and “Stop Project 2025.” Attendees chanted and cheered at passing cars who honked to show their support.
State Representative Lori Palmeri attended the protest in Oshkosh and gave a speech.
“I’m mad as hell and I think you are too,” Palmeri said in her speech. “We are here because we want to protect our vulnerable friends, family and neighbors. We are here to oppose the oligarchy.”
Trump has issued over 100 executive orders since taking office in January, and Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency has targeted Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, the U.S. Agency for International Development, the National Institutes of Health and more.
Palmeri encouraged other attendees to take their energy beyond rallies and volunteer to help friends, attend town hall and school board meetings and run for office.
The protest was organized by Peter Arndorfer, an Oshkosh resident, after the continuing resolution was passed by congress in March. Andorfer began looking for solutions and worked with Indivisible, an activist group that opposes Trump and supports progressive policies. He said he was also part of a group of 6 other people, those of which he hadn’t known long enough yet to remember their names.
“I’m not sure if this is the solution, we’re just getting started. But I think based on the turnout today, we’re probably on the right track, “ Andorfer said.
“We’re in trouble, but we’re not sunk. So we’re organizing grassroots efforts all across the country,” Andorfer said. “We’re doing people power.”
One other group of protesters in Oshkosh were mother-daughter duo Amber Parrish, and her seven-year-old daughter, Lydia. As she stood with a sign that was half her size, Lydia spoke about why she joined her mom that Saturday.
“Every year mommy was asking, do you want to go protesting? And I always said no because I didn’t really know what it was. And this one, I really wanted to go,” Lydia said. “We’re protesting for people of color and women’s rights. My sister has darker skin, so we’re protesting for her.”
Amber said that not every parent believes the same things as their kids, but that they should support their kids, whatever it may look like.
“So, and I’m here just to teach her how to use her voice if she feels passionately about something, and obviously here to make sure that she’s got a future and that my older two kids have a future,” Amber said.
