- Around 200 people protested in Ogden on Labor Day against President Trump and his policies.
- The demonstrators criticized Trump's immigration crackdown and what they view as his policies favoring the wealthy over workers.
- Other "workers over billionaires" demonstrations, as they're dubbed, were scheduled for Salt Lake City, Logan and Magna, with more around the country.
OGDEN — Around 200 people gathered for a demonstration in downtown Ogden, one of several Labor Day protests around Utah and the country targeting the administration of President Donald Trump.
"I just want to stand up and speak out in support of the Constitution, the rule of law, human rights, due process, science, all that," said Megan Westwood of Harrisville. Trump and his backers are "not winning, but that's only because we're fighting back as hard as we can."
The protestors came with many messages — most notably that the rich are benefiting from the Trump administration at the expense of poor and working-class people and that the president's crackdown on illegal immigration is going too far. Others voiced support for Palestinians in the war between Israel and Hamas militants, while many more expressed unease with what they see as Trump's strong-arm moves to centralize power in his hands, a move toward fascism, in their view.
"I think everyone's worried that the country we love might be slipping away from us," said Gina Timmerman, concerned with cuts to education, healthcare funding and more under Trump. "We're not yet really seeing some of the fallout yet, but we know it's coming and I think everyone's really afraid we're not going to be able to stop it. The wheels are in motion."
The nationwide demonstrations are broadly dubbed "workers over billionaires" protests, and additional action in Utah on Monday was scheduled for the grounds of the Utah Capitol in Salt Lake City at 6 p.m. and in Logan and Magna. Monday morning, Salt Lake Indivisible held a "fascist fighter run" at Liberty Park. We the People Cache Valley helped organize the Logan event, and Ogden 50501 helped with the Ogden protest.
The participants in Ogden lined both sides of busy Wall Avenue in front of Union Station, waving signs, chanting and generating honks of support from many passing cars.
"I don't agree with all the stuff that's going on, not only with the immigrants but also with the homeless, the veterans, the workers," said Lizbeth Gallardo of Ogden. "It's not fair that the billionaires are not doing their part, which is paying taxes and all that stuff."
She also blasted expected cuts to Medicaid under Trump's budget bill and said it's tougher to make ends meet under the Republican president.
"I guess there's more homeless and there's not enough money to pay bills. You have to sometimes decide if you want to pay bills, groceries. You can't provide for kids nowadays. It's getting harder and harder for us," she said, pointing a finger at Trump.
On immigration, Gallardo understands pursuing those here illegally who have committed crimes, but thinks those who are working, paying taxes and steering clear of trouble with the law ought to have a way to regularize their migratory status. "They deserve a chance," she said.
One of the many banners protesters held read, "Arrest Donald Trump/Remove Reverse Reclaim." Others read "CEO greed betrays workers," "Workers are worth way more than billionaires," "ICE agents are terrorists/Stand up, fight back!" and "Power to the people/not the politicians".
Timmerman said she hopes the demonstration conveys that there's sizable opposition to Trump, "that you're not alone, that everyone's concerned."
