About 300 protesters lined Boulevard Avenue near the Capitol Saturday displaying signs and waving at passing vehicles as part of the nationwide “No Kings” protests.
The protests coincided with the 250th anniversary of the first battles of the Revolutionary War and were part of the “50501” protest movement, which stands for 50 protests, 50 states and one movement.
Joy Jochim of Mandan displayed a sign calling for the protection of transgender rights. She said she is against many of the initiatives President Donald Trump’s administration is carrying out in its first months of work, such as cuts to the Social Security Administration and proposed cuts to Medicaid.
“I’m glad people are coming out and protesting,” Jochim said.
Sharon Korsmo of Bismarck said a person’s “day in court” is fundamental and expressed concerns about the Trump administration’s deportations of hundreds of people to an El Salvador prison without the chance to challenge their cases in court.
“How do we know who he’s going to turn on next?” Korsmo said.
Kori Holub, an occupational therapist in Dickinson, said she’s already noticing the children with disabilities she treats on the Medicaid program are unable to get “medical necessity” services at their homes based on her recommendations.
She said those kids won’t have access at home to equipment such as a disability swing or support vests.
Holub also volunteers with the National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic, which helps veterans with traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries and other injuries participate in adaptive sports.
During the clinic over the winter, Holub said some Department of Veterans Affairs employees received notices for layoffs, which worried her because those federal workers are a large part of the program.
“I don’t expect this (the winter sports clinic) to happen this year,” she said. “We’ll see.”
