Ohio Protest Against Trump Stretches 8 Miles

Ohio showed up for a protest against the cruelty of Trump in general and against many of his policies, with one attendee saying, "Today is about democracy over a dictatorship."

"Today is about democracy over a dictatorship," Brenda Taylor told The Dispatch. "People ask, why didn't they do something back in 1938, when everything was happening with fascism and Hitler? This is what we need to be doing. ... It's happening now."

People locked arms in Columbus, Ohio in a protest against Donald Trump, that stretched 8 miles long.

It is happening now. And so The Daily Politicus with Sarah Jones is bringing you an ongoing series Profiles in Courage, to remind you that others are taking a risk; others are speaking out. You are not alone.

In red state Ohio, protesters lined High Street in Worthington, Columbus on August 9th, in protest of Donald Trump. Watch a timelapse of 8 miles in three minutes, in what looks like a great time here via by @griffim9 in r/Columbus:

Another video courtesy of NBC 4 at 6 captured in a reel by Occupy Democrats showed protesters linking arms in a miles long chain to make a statement:

Reporter Kyle Beachy: An 8-mile human chain stretched down High Street from Worthington to downtown Columbus today, a show of solidarity and peace, connecting people of all ages and all backgrounds. Organizers say this demonstration today is not a stand against any one issue but welcomed anyone who feels isolated by our government's actions.

People honked and cheered as they drove by. Over an 8-mile stretch, the demonstrators put down their signs and held hands for a moment of silence at 3 o'clock this afternoon. One of the organizers, Maxine Ervin, says the Trump administration's actions on immigration are a major reason for the protest, but everyone involved has a different reason for showing up.

"Everyone has different reasons why they are unhappy,” a protester told ABC4. “We're just all out here together to show our dissatisfaction and to join together and hold hands to make a statement that we see what's going on and we want change."

Beachy: Our crew out there today did not see any counter-protesters along High Street this afternoon. That peaceful assembly was not part of a nationwide effort and was locally organized.

The protesters’ statement of values reads as such:

Although the video shown by ABC4 shows people linking arms at 3 PM, The Dispatch reported that the protesters “appeared” to fall short of enough to link arms in a human chain for eight miles.

The event aimed to form a human chain along an 8-mile stretch of High Street between downtown Columbus and State Route 161 in Worthington. Turnout appeared to fall short for that — in the Short North, protestors clustered on each block, but did not link hands — but organizers said they believed thousands attended.

The Dispatch noted that around 8,000 people would be needed to form a chain without breaks, “About 8,000 people were needed to form a chain without breaks, organizers estimated before the protest. In the Short North, there were not enough people for a chain, but people clustered cheerily in groups on each block. They rang cowbells, held signs and shouted slogans to passersby.”

Either way, the protesters did stretch out over 8 miles (linked or not linked) and they made a strong statement against fascism and cruelty in a continued trend of anti-Trump demonstrations that have been ongoing throughout the summer.

People who spoke with The Dispatch reported being unhappy with the Trump administration over “cuts to Medicaid, the push for deportations and the camps built to house detainees, the Supreme Court, corruption, misinformation and much more.”

This event marked the last of the summer protests in Ohio.

Every single person who showed up, cheered, rang a bell, honked — we hear you and more importantly, your elected officials here you. They might try to silence you, but they hear you.

What do you think about the Ohio protest? Share your thoughts in the comments below.