Submitted by event organizers

President’s Day demonstrations have taken place across the country, organized by the 50501 organization, which called for citizens to speak out against the unprecedented actions being taken by the executive branch in Washington, DC.

Demonstrations reached our shores here on San Juan Island when a group of about 75 peaceful demonstrators gathered at the Courthouse in Friday Harbor carrying a variety of protest signs opposing DOGE, Elon Musk, ultra-wealthy oligarchs, and the threats to privacy, public education, public health, law-abiding immigrants, the Constitution, the rule of law, and public safety nets that many lives depend on.

The demonstration came together by word of mouth, started by one citizen, with the help of a few social media posts and without formal organization. One attendee said she heard about it from an 85-year-old friend in Ohio. “Never underestimate the power of one voice,” she stated.