Grand Rapids, MI — Hundreds of voices rang out across Calder Plaza on Saturday afternoon April 20, 2025 as demonstrators gathered for “Picket the Plaza,” a protest against the Trump administration and what many described as a troubling direction for the country. The event, part of a nationwide day of action, drew people from all walks of life to downtown Grand Rapids in a unified call for justice, accountability, and the protection of civil rights.
Beginning with a powerful visual display, protesters lined bridges over Grand Rapids’ highways at noon, holding signs and waving to honking cars below. After an hour of peaceful bridge demonstrations, the crowd convened at Calder Plaza where the energy only grew louder.
Messages of hope, frustration, and resistance filled the air, with signs bearing slogans like “Make love more contagious than measles,” “Disarm DOGE,” and “Everyone is innocent until proven guilty.” The chants echoed through the city blocks: “Hey hey, ho ho, Donald Trump has got to go,” and “Trans rights are human rights.”
“I care about everybody,” said protester Dee Jones, eyes filled with determination. “There’s a lot of injustice, inequities, and unethical things happening not just globally, but right here in the U.S. I’m sad. I’m disappointed. I’m angry. But I can do something. I can lead, and that’s why I’m here.”
Speakers took the stage to voice deep concern over President Trump’s influence and the direction of the Republican Party. Organizer Karen Dunnam didn’t mince words: “What’s going on in the Trump regime is not normal. It needs to be stopped, adjusted, rearranged—made palatable.”
Many attendees admitted it was their first time protesting, driven by what they see as an urgent need for action. Fear of rising authoritarianism and threats to democratic norms brought them out of their homes and into the streets.
From the bridges to the plaza, from chants to speeches, the message was clear: silence is not an option. As many people boldly declared, “It’s not the time to stay home—it’s time to take action.”
Media Works of John Rothwell 