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 and across the U.S. from New York City to Sacramento and many other points in between on Saturday.
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."
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 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.
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