ROANOKE, Va. – This Easter weekend, protests around the country are targeting the Trump administration’s agenda, including here in Roanoke.
Hundreds gathered in Downtown Roanoke for a “Hands Off” protest at Elmwood Park Saturday afternoon. In a statement from the event organizer, the protest was meant to demand that local leaders respect and protect the following:
The Constitution
Democracy
Free Speech
Due Process
Checks & Balances
Life, Liberty & the Pursuit of Happiness
People heard speeches and lined the streets around the park to spread their message. That included three generations of one family.
“My son asked the same question: what good does protesting do? Why I think it’s good for our souls, but I think it’s good for other people to see we are rising up, we are speaking out, and hopefully we can encourage more people to do the same.”
Jenny Givens, local protester
The protests come just two weeks after similar protests drew thousands of people to the streets across the country.
“Just doing everything I can to support democratic government. I’m really happy to see it, given the holiday weekend.”
Colton joined the WSLS 10 team as a digital content producer in July 2024, soon after graduating cum laude from Virginia Tech with a B.S. in sociology and a minor in psychology.
