Have protests against President Trump, Elon Musk at the Mississippi Capitol gained momentum?

Yahoo

07-04-2025

Jon Fields is a music artist from Mississippi. His mother worked at Jackson State University for 26 years, and his father is a pianist.
Fields drew his greatest inspiration not only from his parents' careers but also from a lesson they instilled in him: "Whenever you see wrong, you say it's wrong."
This message was at the center of Fields' motivation for participating in a protest at noon on Saturday, April 5, which was met with counter protests by anti-protesters.
Fields was one of hundreds protesting on the steps of the Mississippi State Capitol Building in the latest attempt to oppose the actions of President Donald J. Trump's administration as well as billionaire Elon Musk's involvement in the U.S. government. Saturday's protest was a part of a nationwide movement billed as the Hands Off Mass Mobilization.
"As an artist, I believe it is my duty to use my voice," Fields said. "And as you can see, as of recently, those freedoms have been under fire."
In previous rallies, demonstrations at the capitol were organized by the 50501 Movement on Feb. 5; President's Day, Feb. 17; and again, on March 4, with at least 40 protesters attending each event.
April Rowland, an organizer under the 50501 Movement, told the Clarion Ledger, the rallies have grown.
"We've came from 70 people at the last one with a head count today being upwards of 400," Rowland said. "There's been a collaboration among groups —social activism — to get the word out. So, with everybody coming together to get the word out, I think we are going to continue to see growth."
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Rowland shared a graphic with the Clarion Ledger depicting over 150 organizations — spanning civil rights groups, labor unions, LGBTQ+ advocates, veterans and election activists — who participated in the Hands Off protests across more than 1,200 locations in all 50 states.
Among the main concerns voiced by protesters to the Clarion Ledger were Trump's tariff plan, fury of executive orders, immigration policies and massive layoffs and cuts within departments responsible for issues such as public health, education, veterans' affairs and human services.
Rowland provided a message to inspire more people to come to the protests and make their voices heard.
"If you feel compelled, do come on out," Rowland said. "You will be welcomed. We are stronger when we come together in one voice."
By 12:05 p.m. Saturday, crowds ranging from a few dozen to hundreds of protesters had flocked to the state capitol building brandishing signs baring slogans such as "Stop the Steal" and "We the people will not be silenced."
The nation's political division became apparent when — in less than 15 minutes into the protest — five-to-10 anti-protesters arrived to oppose the demonstrators. A verbal confrontation erupted between the groups, prompting two Mississippi State Capitol police officers to wedge themselves between the crowds and defuse the situation.
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The two officers calmly and firmly directed the anti-protesters onto the sidewalk roughly 100 feet away from the steps of the Capitol.
While being escorted off the premises, an anti-protester projected their voice through a megaphone shouting: "The only thing that's going to make America great again is Jesus Christ. … Righteousness exalts the nation, folks, not your politics. It's time to trust in the God of the Bible today. You need to understand that Jesus Christ died at the cross for your sins. Jesus Christ died at the cross that you might be free from your sins. Free from your hatred. Free from your liberal ideologies. Free from your love of abortion. Free from your homosexuality. If you are at odds for the God of the Bible, you need to get right with him today."
The group of anti-protesters dispersed the scene before the Clarion Ledger could speak to any of them.
Amidst the chaotic scene, the anti-Trump protesters erupted into cheers at the police's intervention, before chanting, "Trump and Musk have got to go." Despite the chaos, a sizeable crowd of protesters remained outside the capitol building until 2 p.m., determined to voice their opinions.
Protester Oleta Fitzgerald, the regional director of 30 years for the Children's Defense Fund, said Saturday's rally is not her first to attend, nor is it her first time opposing cuts to education funding and childcare resources.
The Children's Defense Fund, a 50-year-old child advocacy organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., was founded by Marian Wright Edelman and focuses on public policy.
"We have been watching what's going on in Congress for many years," Fitzgerald said. "And this is by far the closest, we feel, we've gotten to a danger zone for losing what democracy means."
Fitzgerald said some of her concerns focused on the federal staff reductions at the Low-Income Energy Assistance Program and the freezing of federal grants that are the primary funding sources for programs such as Head Start. Fitzgerald said it's troubling when, as she believes is happening, the pursuit of wealth and power leads to ignoring the needs of families, seniors and children.
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"Rallies like this are critically important," Fitzgerald said. "We might lose anyway, but if we stay silent, we certainly lose. And then I'll back that up with the fact that we can't lose. Because if we lose, everybody loses."
Another protester, Ashley Floyd, said a "disturbing trend" is emerging with the roll backs of rights in recent years, specifically reproductive rights that generations of women fought "tirelessly to secure." Floyd said people are standing at a pivotal moment in history where "the very essence of our democracy is under attack."
"It is time for us to raise our voices louder than ever before and proclaim, 'Hands off our bodies. Hands off our freedom. Hands off our democracy,'" Floyd said.
"This is not just a women's issue. This is a human issue. When one group is opposed, we all feel the weight of that injustice. We must remember that our fight is intertwined with the struggles of marginalized communities everywhere. … The actions taken by those in power serve as a rallying cry for us to rise and demand the respect and dignity we deserve. We will not be silenced. We will not go back. Our rights are not negotiable. They are inherent and inalienable."
Protestor Beverly Wade Hogan, a resident of Jackson, said she is concerned about the "dangerous" direction the nation is heading. Hogan said, "We're almost about to go over a cliff and lose our democracy."
Protests, Hogan said, are meant to show congressional leaders, elected officials, judges and those people who are making decisions that people are not satisfied.
"This is a common fight," Hogan said. "It's about civil and human rights. It's about preserving our several liberties. It's not gender; it's not ethnicity. It's not about any of those kinds of things, but it is about gaining; keep maintaining our rights and protecting our freedom that is guaranteed to us under the Constitution."
The Clarion Ledger asked Hogan to respond to social media allegations that demonstrators were "paid to protest."
"That's just a bunch of hogwash," Hogan said. "A bunch of rhetoric to devalue the way that people think. Many of these people that I see are people who have always been on the right side of what needs to happen to make us have a strong democracy, a better society and an open society."
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Another protestor, Sam Begley, who is an attorney and a Jackson resident, said Saturday was the first time he has come to a protest at the state capitol building. Begley said he believes the protests are the best way for people to express their dissatisfactions with the government in Washington. Begley said he thinks "the attack on law firms by the president through executive orders is extremely dangerous."
"We need the members of the United States Congress to stand up to this autocracy and tyranny," Begley said. "To use their power and object to the way you know that these federal agencies have been mishandled with these cuts. We need members of Congress, three of whom in our delegation are members of the Mississippi bar to stand up and object to the way this president is treating these lawyers. We need some change in the leadership in Congress."
Pam Dankins is the breaking news reporter for the Clarion Ledger. Email her at [e-mail].
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Hands off protest against Trump and Elon Musk at Mississippi Capitol