The policies by President Donald Trump’s administration were the subject of both nationwide and international protests this past weekend. Those protests included about 2,000 people who gathered outside Florida’s historic Capital in Tallahassee Saturday. The “Hands Off” rallies, as they’ve been called, also coincided with another rally at the capital—this one aimed against abortion rights.
Both groups found themselves becoming strange bedfellows at a time of heightened political tension. And yet, as “Hands Off’ organizer Margaret Clark of Tallahassee notes, protecting the First Amendment’s right to free speech was one of the rally’s key messages.
“I think everybody understood that we all have a right to speak," she said. "And I was very comfortable having the opposition express their opinion—even though I strongly, strongly disagree with their message.”
Clark wants to convey concerns about how the Trump Administration has treated federal workers in mass layoffs and about the stability and security of safety net programs such as Social Security, veterans benefits, and Medicaid during those layoffs.
Another sticking point for Clark is abortion—she’s in favor of abortion rights, a position that’s opposed to others who also took to the capital Saturday to host their “Inaugural Florida March for the Unborn.”
Tom Vail came to Tallahassee from Lakeland to join the Alliance Defending Freedom in Florida, which numbered around 60 people. Speakers from the group said they want to stave off another version of Amendment Four. This failed Florida constitutional amendment proposal was on the 2024 ballot and would have enshrined abortion rights into state law. Florida currently bans abortions after six weeks of pregnancy.
“I was here last year when they did the Supreme Court hearing for the abortion amendment," said Vail, describing his experiences of attending conflicting protests. He notes organizers of both events did speak to each other, and each group staked out their positions on the capital lawn.
During the rallies Saturday, the “Hands Off” group had peacekeepers in yellow vests. Sometimes, the sounds of the two groups overlapped. And while they, at times, drew closer, both sides remained largely respectful of each other, something that hasn’t always been present when conflicting ideas and philosophies collide.
WFSU asked Vail of the Defending Life Alliance if it’s fair to say this is what democracy looks like.
“Well, I guess so," he said over the roar of chants in the background. "Sometimes it’s a little noisy.”
