ABOUT a dozen island residents gathered on Beach Road in Oleai on Saturday as part of an ongoing “hands-off” protest across the U.S. in opposition to the Trump administration’s controversial policies.
They held placards that read, “America is not a dictatorship,” “Criminals can’t run countries,” “Protect human rights,” and “Due process for everyone.”
The demonstration lasted from 3:30 p.m. to around 5 p.m., with many motorists honking in support.
Jeff Race, one of the protesters, said their message to the U.S. president is, “Hands off Democracy, hands off Social Security, hands off Medicaid, hands off free speech, hands off due process, hands off the Constitution, hands off the things that are important to the American people. That is what this is all about,” he added.
Over the last two weeks, Race said there had been 1,400 protest actions involving six million people across the U.S. against immigration raids, the mass termination of federal employees, and other controversial policies.
In participating in the nationwide protest, he added, CNMI residents like him “just want our voices heard.”
According to Race, “Trump is the guy who wants to be America’s first dictator.” Trump, he added, “is the guy who has got 34 felony convictions. And, by the way, most people don’t remember that Trump’s business empire was found guilty of another 17 criminal counts.”
“We want to exercise our First Amendment rights to peaceable assembly and freedom of speech,” Race added.
CNMI residents take part in a nationwide “hands-off” protest against the Trump administration.
Jeff Race, right, holds a placard that says, “Trump Dictator” as he and about 10 other residents stage a “hands-off” protest on Beach Road in Oleai on Saturday.
A “hands-off” protester holds a placard that says, “Due Process for Everyone.”
