photo by: Bella Waters/Special to the Journal-World

Demonstrators protest the Trump administration at the intersection of Ninth and Massachusetts streets on Sunday, March 30, 2025, in Lawrence, Kansas.

When Robin Gingerich and her husband, Tom Mersmann, decided to protest the Trump administration one Sunday on the corner of Ninth and Massachusetts streets in late February, they had no idea how large it would become.

Now, every Sunday at noon, hundreds of people gather with their friends and family to protest the administration’s policies.

“When we went that first Sunday, we really expected it to be maybe us and these two other people kind of thing,” Gingerich said. “And so when it was 30 people, we were, like, thrilled.”

By the next weekend the protest had grown to 300 people. And this Sunday, despite colder temperatures and morning rain, roughly 200 people came out.

photo by: Bella Waters/Special to the Journal-World

Robin Gingerich and her husband, Tom Mersmann, started the weekly protest at Ninth and Massachusetts streets. Gingerich said that they protest every week, rain or shine.

Protesters stood on the four corners of Massachusetts and Ninth streets, holding signs and chanting slogans. The content of the signs varied, but many targeted Elon Musk. Some of the chants were “Lock Him Up” and “Honk for Democracy.”

Throughout the hourlong protest, cars honked as they drove by. At one point, a Lawrence-Douglas County Fire Medical ambulance drove through the intersection and honked repeatedly.

Protesters expressed concern about a variety of issues, like education, disability rights and social security, but they continually repeated one general theme: love and duty for their country and its democratic values.

“I hate to see what’s going on,” protester Jeff Southard said. “I love my country. Right now I fear my government.” It was Southard’s first time at the weekly protest. This was the sixth protest overall.

Another protester, Jackson Brown, held up a Kansas flag. Others also waved American and Ukrainian flags.

“If you carry American flags, you obviously care about America,” Brown said. “It makes it harder for people to say I’m un-American; I’m not patriotic.”

Fourth-time protester Megan McGlinn held a sign that said “Nazis Suck” with American flags attached to it.

photo by: Bella Waters/Special to the Journal-World

Megan McGlinn protests the Trump administration during a demonstration Sunday at the corner of Ninth and Massachusetts streets on Sunday, March 30, 2025.

“I purposely have the flag on my signs because the flag is everyone’s flag,” McGlinn said. “If people want to have different opinions, fine. The flag belongs to everyone.”

She said she is protesting for her father, who fought the Nazis during World War II.

“We cannot let those lives and hard-earned freedoms just go,” McGlinn said.

Protester Renee Bryant also said she was protesting for her father.

“I mean, my father’s rolling over in his grave right now, and my brother served in Vietnam,” Bryant said. “And I, I’m too old to go to war for my country. So what else can I do?”

photo by: Bella Waters/Special to the Journal-World

Renee Bryant holds signs during a protest of the Trump administration Sunday, March 30, 2025, at the corner of Ninth and Massachusetts streets.

Many protesters said they felt like it was their duty as Americans to speak out against the Trump administration.

“I think we’ve always asked ourselves, ‘Well, if this happened in America, what would we do?'” Gingerich said. “And I think for me it was like, ‘Well, I don’t have a choice, I can’t remain silent.'”

Multiple protesters said the current presidential administration is like nothing they’ve ever seen before.

Many said they believe the Trump administration is fascist and mirrors the Nazi Party of 1930s Germany.

“If you would have told me 15 years ago, maybe not even that long, that this is where America would be today, I would never have believed you,” Gingerich said.

Scott Henson, a retired principal, said the taking away of rights and abuse of power by the executive branch is unprecedented.

A lot of the protesters were older adults. Many of them said they protested the Vietnam War during the 1960s and 1970s.

“That’s not the only thing that makes sweeping political change, but it is an important piece of it,” Mersmann said.

Multiple protesters also said they regularly call their representatives, like U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall and U.S. Reps. Derek Schmidt and Tracey Mann. Part of the reason why Gingerich decided to begin protesting was because calling her representatives wasn’t working.

“Robin had been doing a lot of calling to senators and congressmen from the offices with really mixed success,” Mersmann said. “It was pretty frustrating.”

Henson said he and his wife, Linda Henson, have called Sen. Jerry Moran every day for two or three months and have heard nothing.

“Right now, it’s like those folks don’t want to talk to us. So we’re bringing it out to the street where they have to see it,” Linda Henson said. “I’m somebody. I will be heard. I will be seen.”

To protesters, gathering at this weekly demonstration is a tangible action they can take to voice their frustrations. It also provides a sense of community and solidarity.

“I think people that are joining us are feeling alone,” Gingerich said. “I think it gives people an avenue that they felt like they didn’t really have before.”

Linda Henson passed out stickers and miniature copies of the Constitution to other protesters.

These are my people,” Linda Henson said. “And it helps me to be here with these folks, and it helps get me through the rest of the week.”

Gingerich said the weekly protests will continue indefinitely. Everyone interviewed at the protest said they will continue to come out until they feel like change has been made.

Many protesters said they hope to see more young people at the protests, though.

“Maybe because we don’t have to worry about our job or anything else, it’s easier for us,” McGlinn said. “But we wish some younger people would come join us.”

photo by: Bella Waters/Special to the Journal-World

Dot Nary, left, seen here on Sunday, March 30, 2025, has participated in most of the weekly protests of the Trump administration in downtown Lawrence. Nary has also been involved in disability rights advocacy for years.