by Leslie Layton
posted April 7
Chico’s April 5 “Hands Off!” event – perhaps the largest demonstration in the city’s history – drew a surprisingly large crowd of people who rallied and marched to protest the Trump Administration in concert with protests across the country.
Some signs addressed the administration’s aggressive movement to strengthen the executive branch at the cost of the courts and Congress, with statements like, “Say no to fascists.” Many signs demanded that Social Security, Medicare and public education be left intact; one said “Democracies thrive with allies,” and another, “Even the Republicans are here.”
As people left the protest around 3:30 p.m., an organizer, Laurel Yorks, handed out Chico Peace Alliance cards and asked demonstrators to stay alert for future events that will be announced online. Yorks, who was herself stunned by the turnout, noted that downtown was “encircled by people demonstrating for democracy.”