Saturday, about 1,500 people showed up in front of the Navy aircraft monument on Highway 20 in what seems to be one of the largest protests in Whidbey’s history.

The “Hands Off!” rally, organized by Indivisible Whidbey and co-sponsored by Solidarity Over Supremacy (or SOS Whidbey), was part of a national movement to protest the Trump Administration and the Department of Government Efficiency — also known as DOGE.

Carrie Krueger, spokesperson for Indivisible Whidbey, believes the turnout is a sign of people’s hunger for action and said she was impressed with the event’s success, considering that Indivisible has recently reorganized under a new, less-experienced leadership.

As a long procession of cars drove by at a lower-than-usual speed, protesters lining the grassy side of the highway voiced their dissent over deportations, the reduction of protections for transgender people, the dismantlement of the Department of Education, the nationwide closure of dozens of Social Security offices, the elimination of thousands of federal jobs and other topics that have been making international headlines over the past months.

Some, like Langley City Councilmember Craig Cyr, showed up to support Canada and pay tribute to their Canadian ancestry amid tensions over tariffs and Trump’s comments about turning the sovereign country into the 51st U.S. state.

“I’m amazed that flying a Canadian flag is an act of protest,” Cyr said as he held the maple leaf flag.

That same day, about 130 people showed up with signs by the pedestrian bridge in Coupeville, while hundreds gathered at Bayview Park and Ride in Langley, according to the respective events’ organizers.

Many of those who showed up in Oak Harbor were concerned veterans or friends and family members of people who served. In the county with the highest number of veterans per capita in the state, according to Indivisible Whidbey, changes to the Department of Veterans Affairs can be quite controversial.

Currently, over 80,000 jobs are on the chopping block at the VA, which provides education opportunities, rehabilitation services, health care support and other services to veterans, according to USA.gov.

As stated in a March 4 memo from the VA’s chief of staff, the department is seeking to bring staffing levels down to 2019’s numbers of a little less than 400,000 in an effort to “eliminate waste,” “reduce bureaucracy” and “increase workforce efficiency,” while reinvesting part of those savings in veterans and the department’s workforce.

DOGE is also planning to eliminate 10% of the Social Security Administration’s workforce and to cancel leases for dozens of field offices, despite a new requirement that seeks to reduce fraudulent claims by requiring in-person visits to prove one’s identity. According to the Associated Press, some of these locations were already expected to close due to hearings being held virtually.

Jim Spoltman, chairman of the Island County Republican Party, said the party is not aware of any cuts to benefits but acknowledged some people, including veterans, will lose their jobs.

“It’s not that we’re unfeeling about it, I would like them to still be employed. But if the jobs are cut, you know, they’re cut,” he said, explaining that Republicans tend to favor smaller, more efficient and less intrusive government. “Our stance is that the government is likely overstaffed and that we think that reduction in force is good.”

Because the party focuses on what is being done at the county and not the federal level, he said, it doesn’t feel the need to engage with protests against the federal government, though he does wonder what alternatives are being offered by objectors.

For party updates, visit islandcountygop.net.

Some worry that these changes will create barriers to accessing benefits and services. Among them is Grethe Cammermeyer, who worked as a VA nurse and served as a combat nurse in Vietnam.

Cammermeyer, who attended the protest in Oak Harbor, believes the reductions affecting the VA and Social Security will mean people will have a harder time getting in contact with staff who can give them support and schedule appointments.

With the administration’s campaign against DEI and transgender people in the military, Cammermeyer worries that less people will want to join the military, which could pose a national security risk.

Amy Briscoe, a death doula and one of the organizers of the protest in Coupeville, echoed Cammermeyer’s opinion on the VA and Social Security, adding that the seniors she takes care of are already struggling to afford basic necessities while relying on Social Security. She also worries for her family, as her husband depends on Social Security due to his disability.

Michael Van Voorst, a veteran who served 20 years in the Navy, believes the president and “his little minion Elon Musk” are trying to take away his benefits, as well as his Social Security that he put money into for over 40 years.

Jack Gribble, a disabled Coast Guard veteran, asked to be given the most abrasive sign upon his arrival at the Oak Harbor rally. Soon after, he was seen walking around the crowd with a sign depicting Trump riding a swastika monowheel. To complete the look, he wore a shirt that said “expletive Trump” in Russian.

Gribble is one of many protesters who expressed concern over the purported rise of oligarchy in the country. When the founding fathers created the constitution, he said, they had King George in mind.

“They knew at some point in our history, somebody like this was going to show up,” he said, pointing at the caricature of Trump on his sign.

Yet, as a veteran, seeing the big turnout in a military town felt “inspirational,” he said.

Krueger said that while Whidbey features a wide range of opinions and ideas on how to tackle issues, most people can agree on a few things.

“I think that we all want great health care for our veterans, and we all want a military that is run with expertise, and we all want an efficient Social Security Administration that gives us Social Security payments without issue,” she said.

Christina Elliott, a lawyer and member of the Whidbey Island Democratic Club board, believes the Trump administration has inspired a wider variety of people than before to join peaceful rallies and make their voices heard.

Aside from her concerns as a Navy spouse, she has seen the rule of law being eroded since Trump returned to the White House, especially with deportations that are occurring, she said, without due process.

Liz, a local school teacher who declined to share her last name, said the recent Immigration and Customs Enforcement (also known as ICE) raids have been causing significant fear among immigrant families.

“I have kids whose families don’t want to leave their homes to go grocery shopping because they’re afraid they’re going to be rounded up and deported when they’re here legally,” she said.

Some protesters asked for their names and faces not to be in the paper. In one case, an attendee said she feared consequences for speaking up.

All three protests ran smoothly, with only a few middle fingers and thumbs-down.

Dinah Bachrach, one of the lead peacekeepers in Oak Harbor, said Indivisible Whidbey held a peacekeeper team training before the event and stayed in communication with Naval Air Station Whidbey Island and local law enforcement.

Susan Jensen, the organizer of the Bayview rally, was happy with the turnout, but believes the protests need to happen on a weekly basis. She plans to show up at 10 a.m. on April 19 at the same location as part of another nationwide protest.

After marching for civil rights and women’s rights and protesting the Vietnam War and the mistreatment of farm workers, she thought it would only get better from there.

Now, at 81, she still has to show up with her sign and walker to protest against what she sees as “a blatant attempt at a takeover of our government to install a dictator surrounded by oligarchs who think they know what’s best,” she wrote in a message to the News-Times, encouraging young people to “wake up” and take action.

While it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and fatigued, Krueger said those feelings can be turned into action, like writing to elected officials or showing up to community events. Indivisible Whidbey will meet at noon on April 26 at the Oak Harbor Elks Club, and will continue to meet monthly at different locations, she said.

It’s the same spirit that led to the creation of Indivisible Whidbey during the first Trump Administration, and the same spirit that brought SOS Whidbey to life in 2020, as well as other community-building initiatives that have been forming around the island.

For updates on future events and opportunities for action, join Indivisible Whidbey’s community group on Facebook, or visit soswhidbey.org.

“Collectively, we can make a difference,” Krueger said.

(Photo by Luisa Loi) Elaine Stanovsky, a retired bishop who served in the United Methodist Church, said she feels like Christians around the country are losing touch with the Bible’s core principles of loving one’s neighbor.

(Photo by Luisa Loi) At left, Donna Davis, Linda Flanagan Freeburg, Susan Upchurch and Karen Vojtecky were among the 1,500 people who joined the “Hands Off!” rally in Oak Harbor.

(Photo by Luisa Loi) Jordan Coe and Aloria Lanshan got creative with their “doge,” Pax.

Jack Gribble, a disabled Coast Guard veteran, held a sign depicting Trump riding a swastika monowheel. (Photo by Luisa Loi)

At left, Suzanne Fageol, Peggy Taylor, “doge” Havi and Rick Ingrasci smile in front of the Navy aircraft monument. (Photo by Luisa Loi)

A woman holds a sign demanding the federal government to keep its hands off the VS, healthcare, Social Security, the wilderness, education and the military. (Photo by Luisa Loi)

In Oak Harbor, residents protested against the Department of Government Efficiency, tariffs, deportations, the reduction of protections for transgender people, the dismantlement of the Department of Education, the elimination of thousands of federal jobs and more. The event was a cacophony of honking cars, chants, singing and lively chatter. (Photo by Luisa Loi)

Craig Cyr waves the Canadian flag as a sign of protest in Oak Harbor.

The Oak Harbor protest. (Photo by Luisa Loi)

At left, Brian Lavere and Michael Van Voorst protest against the VA staff cuts. (Photo by Luisa Loi)