WGCU PBS & NPR for Southwest Florida
Protests arise again as Southwest Florida residents rail against Trump Administration policies
By Cary Barbor, Michael Braun
April 19, 2025 at 2:09 PM EDT
Crowds line 41 near the Collier County Courthouse protest Saturday (360x480, AR: 0.75)
Nearly two thousand people turned out in Naples and Fort Myers Saturday in a second round of protests against policies and programs put into place during the start of President Donald Trump's administration.
Protests were also confirmed across Southwest Florida in Port Charlotte, Venice, Sarasota, St. Petersburg, Tampa, as well as in other locations in Florida.
The disparate events in other parts of the United States ranged from a march through midtown Manhattan and a rally in front of the White House to a demonstration at a Massachusetts commemoration marking the start of the American Revolutionary War 250 years ago. In San Francisco, protesters formed a human banner reading “Impeach & Remove” on the sands of Ocean Beach overlooking the Pacific Ocean.
In Naples, citizens began gathering around 10 a.m. on Saturday at the Collier County courthouse. They held signs and chanted, making their dissatisfaction known with the Trump Administration's policies as they walked to Tamiami Trail.
Paul Stephens helped organize the Collier County gathering.
"We are hoping to send the message out that most Americans don't want our country to sink into a dictatorship, where the constitution doesn't matter, where the law doesn't matter, where the whim of one man matters," Stephens said. "That's not the way it's supposed to be."
An estimated 1,000 people eventually lined the east side of Tamiami Trail, several people deep, from Palm Drive to Airport Road South. Drivers honked their appreciation. One driver flashed a middle finger in protest while the driver behind him gave a thumbs-up and honked. The protest was peaceful.
Edie Hunt held a sign that said, "Doing this for my grandkids" as she stood by the side of the road. She explained: "We need to keep this country preserved in democracy for the future."
Martha Raak sat in a beach chair in the shade. "I'm 90 years old and I'm out here," she said. "I would like to see Trump out of office and his policies dismissed. I think he's a dictator."
In Fort Myers, people hoisting signs, yelling through megaphones and generally making their feelings began lining U.S. 41 from Market Square to Daniels Parkway shortly after 9:30 Saturday Morning. Unofficial head counts put those attending at more than 1,000 by 10:30.
"Amazing turnout. We didn't expect another big turnout like this. This is fantastic," Nancy Terreri, vice president of the Lee County chapter of the National Organization of Women, said. "I think really, people are fed up with everything happening these days, coming out of the White House. There's so many things of our rights being taken away, our services being taken away."
Those attending aged in range from two-years-old to 100. And that 100-year-old was a special attendee, Dr. Robert Hilliard.
Hilliard, who came to the protest with former Lee Health CEO Jim Nathan, is one of the original architects of the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967, a WWII Purple Heart recipient who helped Holocaust survivors and now calls Southwest Florida home.
Nathan and Hilliard are also both members of Floridians for Democracy. Nathan said it was essential to have a conversation such as the protest and to speak up and speak out.
"This is a scary time for our nation, and a lot of people are sort of sleepwalking into autocracy," he said. "(They) aren't even aware of the speed and depth of this movement that is going on. It's very serious. I've never seen anything like this in our nation, and I hope that we can stop it, but I'm very fearful."
Protest in SWFL
Cheri Sherwell of Fort Myers attended Saturday's protest because she has concerns for the well-being of the country's veterans.
"I'm very worried. I have a lot of vets in my family, and I'm worried about all the cutbacks on them," she said. "I'm worried about older people and Social Security, where you can't even get a hold of Social Security, and obviously I am not a fan of Trump, and he's taken over everything in this country."
Many of those who came out also attended a similar protest two weeks ago about in the same place. Many vowed to keep coming out until they helped affect a change in policies.
Dawn Whalen of Fort Myers said the rise in the cost of living was making her concerned, especially since she is now a senior citizen.
"I am a senior, and I want to protect seniors rights in Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, the cost of everything is going up," she said. "And it's just, I thought he said that day one, everything was going to be dropped down, but it's just been horrible."
Opposition protesting was all but nonexistent and few yelled expletives were heard this time. One Trump supporter in Fort Myers stood off about 200 feet from the crow, blowing an air horn and shouting but in a calm and measured manner, matching the actions of the protest crowd.
Further such protest events are in the works according to posts from organizers on social media.
The disparate events ranged from a march through midtown Manhattan and a rally in front of the White House to a demonstration at a Massachusetts commemoration marking the start of the American Revolutionary War 250 years ago. In San Francisco, protesters formed a human banner reading “Impeach & Remove” on the sands of Ocean Beach overlooking the Pacific Ocean.
People gather to protest President Donald Trump's policies on Saturday, April 19, 2025 in New York. (2240x1493, AR: 1.5003348961821836)
Thomas Bassford was among those who joined demonstrators at the reenactment of the Battles of Lexington and Concord outside of Boston. “The shot heard ’round the world” on April 19, 1775, heralded the start of the nation’s war for independence from Britain.
The 80-year-old retired mason from Maine said he believed Americans today are under attack from their own government and need to stand up against it.
“This is a very perilous time in America for liberty,” Bassford said, as he attended the event with his partner, daughter and two grandsons. “I wanted the boys to learn about the origins of this country and that sometimes we have to fight for freedom.”
Elsewhere, protests were planned outside Tesla car dealerships against billionaire Trump adviser Elon Musk and his role in downsizing the federal government. Others organized more community-service events, such as food drives, teach-ins and volunteering at local shelters.
The protests come just two weeks after similar nationwide protests against the Trump administration drew thousands to the streets across the country.
Organizers say they’re protesting what they call Trump’s civil rights violations and constitutional violations, including efforts to deport scores of immigrants and to scale back the federal government by firing thousands of government workers and effectively shutter entire agencies.
Some of the events drew on the spirit of the American Revolutionary War, calling for “no kings” and resistance to tyranny.
Boston resident George Bryant, who was among those protesting in Concord, Massachusetts, said he was concerned Trump was creating a “police state” in America as he held up a sign saying, “Trump fascist regime must go now!”
“He’s defying the courts. He’s kidnapping students. He’s eviscerating the checks and balances,” Bryant said. “This is fascism.”
In Washington, Bob Fasick said he came out to the rally by the White House out of concern about threats to constitutionally protected due process rights, as well as Social Security and other federal safety-net programs.
The Trump administration, among other things, has moved to shutter Social Security Administration field offices, cut funding for government health programs and scale back protections for transgender people.
“I cannot sit still knowing that if I don’t do anything and everybody doesn’t do something to change this, that the world that we collectively are leaving for the little children, for our neighbors is simply not one that I would want to live,” said the 76-year-old retired federal employee from Springfield, Virginia.
In Columbia, South Carolina, several hundred people protested at the statehouse. They held signs that said “Fight Fiercely, Harvard, Fight” and “Save SSA,” in reference to the Social Security Administration.
And in Manhattan, protesters rallied against continued deportations of immigrants as they marched from the New York Public Library north towards Central Park past Trump Tower.
“No fear, no hate, no ICE in our state,” they chanted to the steady beat of drums, referring to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Marshall Green, who was among the protesters, said he was most concerned that Trump has invoked the wartime Alien Enemies Act of 1798 by claiming the country is at war with Venezuelan gangs linked to the South American nation’s government.
“Congress should be stepping up and saying no, we are not at war. You cannot use that,” said the 61-year-old from Morristown, New Jersey. “You cannot deport people without due process, and everyone in this country has the right to due process no matter what.”
Meanwhile Melinda Charles, of Connecticut, said she worried about Trump’s “executive overreach,” citing clashes with the federal courts to Harvard University and other elite colleges.
“We’re supposed to have three equal branches of government and to have the executive branch become so strong,” she said. “I mean, it’s just unbelievable.”
The volunteer cross-country event was spearheaded by several groups including IndivisibleSWFL, which was calling the event "Say No To Tyranny," and the 50501 Movement which called for a National Day of Action or a National Day of Community Action, and was not calling it a protest specifically, Women's March Fort Myers, National Organization of Women, Friends of Democracy, Floridafree.com and many others.
WGCU is your trusted source for news and information in Southwest Florida. We are a nonprofit public service, and your support is more critical than ever. Keep public media strong and donate now. Thank you. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Nearly two thousand people turned out in Naples and Fort Myers Saturday in a second round of protests against policies and programs put into place during the start of President Donald Trump's administration.
Protests were also confirmed across Southwest Florida in Port Charlotte, Venice, Sarasota, St. Petersburg, Tampa, as well as in other locations in Florida.
The disparate events in other parts of the United States ranged from a march through midtown Manhattan and a rally in front of the White House to a demonstration at a Massachusetts commemoration marking the start of the American Revolutionary War 250 years ago. In San Francisco, protesters formed a human banner reading “Impeach & Remove” on the sands of Ocean Beach overlooking the Pacific Ocean.
In Naples, citizens began gathering around 10 a.m. on Saturday at the Collier County courthouse. They held signs and chanted, making their dissatisfaction known with the Trump Administration's policies as they walked to Tamiami Trail.
Paul Stephens helped organize the Collier County gathering.
"We are hoping to send the message out that most Americans don't want our country to sink into a dictatorship, where the constitution doesn't matter, where the law doesn't matter, where the whim of one man matters," Stephens said. "That's not the way it's supposed to be."
An estimated 1,000 people eventually lined the east side of Tamiami Trail, several people deep, from Palm Drive to Airport Road South. Drivers honked their appreciation. One driver flashed a middle finger in protest while the driver behind him gave a thumbs-up and honked. The protest was peaceful.
Edie Hunt held a sign that said, "Doing this for my grandkids" as she stood by the side of the road. She explained: "We need to keep this country preserved in democracy for the future."
Martha Raak sat in a beach chair in the shade. "I'm 90 years old and I'm out here," she said. "I would like to see Trump out of office and his policies dismissed. I think he's a dictator."
In Fort Myers, people hoisting signs, yelling through megaphones and generally making their feelings began lining U.S. 41 from Market Square to Daniels Parkway shortly after 9:30 Saturday Morning. Unofficial head counts put those attending at more than 1,000 by 10:30.
"Amazing turnout. We didn't expect another big turnout like this. This is fantastic," Nancy Terreri, vice president of the Lee County chapter of the National Organization of Women, said. "I think really, people are fed up with everything happening these days, coming out of the White House. There's so many things of our rights being taken away, our services being taken away."
Those attending aged in range from two-years-old to 100. And that 100-year-old was a special attendee, Dr. Robert Hilliard.
Hilliard, who came to the protest with former Lee Health CEO Jim Nathan, is one of the original architects of the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967, a WWII Purple Heart recipient who helped Holocaust survivors and now calls Southwest Florida home.
Nathan and Hilliard are also both members of Floridians for Democracy. Nathan said it was essential to have a conversation such as the protest and to speak up and speak out.
"This is a scary time for our nation, and a lot of people are sort of sleepwalking into autocracy," he said. "(They) aren't even aware of the speed and depth of this movement that is going on. It's very serious. I've never seen anything like this in our nation, and I hope that we can stop it, but I'm very fearful."
Protest in SWFL
Cheri Sherwell of Fort Myers attended Saturday's protest because she has concerns for the well-being of the country's veterans.
"I'm very worried. I have a lot of vets in my family, and I'm worried about all the cutbacks on them," she said. "I'm worried about older people and Social Security, where you can't even get a hold of Social Security, and obviously I am not a fan of Trump, and he's taken over everything in this country."
Many of those who came out also attended a similar protest two weeks ago about in the same place. Many vowed to keep coming out until they helped affect a change in policies.
Dawn Whalen of Fort Myers said the rise in the cost of living was making her concerned, especially since she is now a senior citizen.
"I am a senior, and I want to protect seniors rights in Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, the cost of everything is going up," she said. "And it's just, I thought he said that day one, everything was going to be dropped down, but it's just been horrible."
Opposition protesting was all but nonexistent and few yelled expletives were heard this time. One Trump supporter in Fort Myers stood off about 200 feet from the crow, blowing an air horn and shouting but in a calm and measured manner, matching the actions of the protest crowd.
Further such protest events are in the works according to posts from organizers on social media.
The disparate events ranged from a march through midtown Manhattan and a rally in front of the White House to a demonstration at a Massachusetts commemoration marking the start of the American Revolutionary War 250 years ago. In San Francisco, protesters formed a human banner reading “Impeach & Remove” on the sands of Ocean Beach overlooking the Pacific Ocean.
People gather to protest President Donald Trump's policies on Saturday, April 19, 2025 in New York. (2240x1493, AR: 1.5003348961821836)
Thomas Bassford was among those who joined demonstrators at the reenactment of the Battles of Lexington and Concord outside of Boston. “The shot heard ’round the world” on April 19, 1775, heralded the start of the nation’s war for independence from Britain.
The 80-year-old retired mason from Maine said he believed Americans today are under attack from their own government and need to stand up against it.
“This is a very perilous time in America for liberty,” Bassford said, as he attended the event with his partner, daughter and two grandsons. “I wanted the boys to learn about the origins of this country and that sometimes we have to fight for freedom.”
Elsewhere, protests were planned outside Tesla car dealerships against billionaire Trump adviser Elon Musk and his role in downsizing the federal government. Others organized more community-service events, such as food drives, teach-ins and volunteering at local shelters.
The protests come just two weeks after similar nationwide protests against the Trump administration drew thousands to the streets across the country.
Organizers say they’re protesting what they call Trump’s civil rights violations and constitutional violations, including efforts to deport scores of immigrants and to scale back the federal government by firing thousands of government workers and effectively shutter entire agencies.
Some of the events drew on the spirit of the American Revolutionary War, calling for “no kings” and resistance to tyranny.
Boston resident George Bryant, who was among those protesting in Concord, Massachusetts, said he was concerned Trump was creating a “police state” in America as he held up a sign saying, “Trump fascist regime must go now!”
“He’s defying the courts. He’s kidnapping students. He’s eviscerating the checks and balances,” Bryant said. “This is fascism.”
In Washington, Bob Fasick said he came out to the rally by the White House out of concern about threats to constitutionally protected due process rights, as well as Social Security and other federal safety-net programs.
The Trump administration, among other things, has moved to shutter Social Security Administration field offices, cut funding for government health programs and scale back protections for transgender people.
“I cannot sit still knowing that if I don’t do anything and everybody doesn’t do something to change this, that the world that we collectively are leaving for the little children, for our neighbors is simply not one that I would want to live,” said the 76-year-old retired federal employee from Springfield, Virginia.
In Columbia, South Carolina, several hundred people protested at the statehouse. They held signs that said “Fight Fiercely, Harvard, Fight” and “Save SSA,” in reference to the Social Security Administration.
And in Manhattan, protesters rallied against continued deportations of immigrants as they marched from the New York Public Library north towards Central Park past Trump Tower.
“No fear, no hate, no ICE in our state,” they chanted to the steady beat of drums, referring to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Marshall Green, who was among the protesters, said he was most concerned that Trump has invoked the wartime Alien Enemies Act of 1798 by claiming the country is at war with Venezuelan gangs linked to the South American nation’s government.
“Congress should be stepping up and saying no, we are not at war. You cannot use that,” said the 61-year-old from Morristown, New Jersey. “You cannot deport people without due process, and everyone in this country has the right to due process no matter what.”
Meanwhile Melinda Charles, of Connecticut, said she worried about Trump’s “executive overreach,” citing clashes with the federal courts to Harvard University and other elite colleges.
“We’re supposed to have three equal branches of government and to have the executive branch become so strong,” she said. “I mean, it’s just unbelievable.”
The volunteer cross-country event was spearheaded by several groups including IndivisibleSWFL, which was calling the event "Say No To Tyranny," and the 50501 Movement which called for a National Day of Action or a National Day of Community Action, and was not calling it a protest specifically, Women's March Fort Myers, National Organization of Women, Friends of Democracy, Floridafree.com and many others.
WGCU is your trusted source for news and information in Southwest Florida. We are a nonprofit public service, and your support is more critical than ever. Keep public media strong and donate now. Thank you. The Associated Press contributed to this report.