During his nearly 40 years as a reporter at the Burlington Free Press, Sam Hemingway covered plenty of protests in Vermont.
On Wednesday afternoon in Montpelier, Hemingway, now retired, decided it was time for him to participate in one.
鈥淚鈥檓 a reporter, but I鈥檓 an American. And my country is in trouble,鈥� Hemingway said on the granite steps outside the Vermont Statehouse. 鈥淚 fear for its future and I can鈥檛 stay home. I鈥檝e got a great life, and I want to be around for a long time. But I don鈥檛 want to see this country go down the drain like it seems to be going right now.鈥�
Several hundred Vermonters gathered outside the Statehouse on Wednesday at noon as part of a nationwide movement, organized on social media platforms, called 50501. The name stands for 50 states, 50 protests, one day.
鈥淎s I follow what鈥檚 going on in Washington, what Trump and Musk and the rest of them are doing 鈥� I can鈥檛 stand to watch this anymore,鈥� Hemingway said. 鈥淚 can live with Republicans in office 鈥� I have nothing against Republicans. But I have a real problem with a guy who really ultimately is embracing fascism.鈥�
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The leader-less event featured no keynote speaker or organized agenda. The crowd erupted periodically into spontaneous chants in support of transgender people, immigrants and other groups that have become early targets of the new Trump administration.
It was the largest political rally Vermont has seen since Trump was inaugurated last month.
鈥淚 think a lot of us have been in a kind of stunned stupor 鈥� that鈥檚 what I have felt like ever since the election,鈥� said Deborah Hunt, of Danville. 鈥淏ut my sense is now people are beginning to open their eyes and say, 鈥楴o, we鈥檝e got to do something here.鈥� This business of an unelected private citizen rampaging through the inner workings of our government and taking control and making decisions is truly frightening for lots of us.鈥�
The unelected citizen to whom Hunt was referring is . Musk鈥檚 decision to temporarily halt operations at USAID, and his sudden access to the federal payment system, was top of mind for many of the Vermonters who spent hours in 15-degree temperatures to register their concerns.
Montpelier resident Kate Whelley McCabe held a homemade sign that read 鈥淪top the Actual Steal.鈥� She said the 鈥渟teal鈥� was a reference to the 鈥渃oup that has been perpetrated by Elon [Musk] with the consent of our president and the Republican Party.鈥�
鈥淚 think the plan is to destroy as much of American democracy as possible to line his own pockets,鈥� she said.
Jenna Danyew, of Essex, said she鈥檚 been most troubled by executive orders signed by Trump that seek to marginalize transgender Americans and deport immigrants living in the country without authorization.
鈥淚 oppose everything about Trump鈥檚 administration but specifically the idea that the suffering of others will somehow benefit us,鈥� Danyew said. "His policies appear to be rooted in the removal of immigrants, the removal of people鈥檚 rights and freedoms, hatred for trans people, LGBTIQ people, brown people 鈥� anyone that doesn鈥檛 look like him, have the same amount of money as him, same education. And that suffering won鈥檛 help anyone.鈥�
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Danyew said she sees Wednesday鈥檚 protest as a way to mobilize fellow Americans who are concerned about actions undertaken by the new president.
鈥淚 think individually speaking out now will only make it easier to continue speaking out as things get worse,鈥� she said. 鈥淎nd the more of us do it, the louder we are, the easier it will get for those who are still holding out and finding their voice.鈥�
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