‘Hands off our Democracy’ rally rescheduled for April 19

A local protest of President Donald Trump and his administration has been rescheduled to April 19 due to flooding conditions, organizers said.

The “Hands Off our Democracy, Rally and March” was originally scheduled for April 5, but organizers scaled down plans due to the weather as Bartholomew County was hit with a torrent of rain.

Still, area residents participated in a downtown rally last weekend, joining an estimated 1,100 rallies happening across all 50 states against the Trump administration and its policies on the same day. It had been rescheduled for April 12, but is being postponed again due to last weekend’s flooding, according to organizers.

The protest on April 19 is organized by one of five “action teams” that make up a new local organization, Columbus Community United (CCU). It will begin with a gathering on the steps at Columbus City Hall at noon featuring speakers, followed by a march down Washington Street at 1 p.m.

CCU partners with wider-national groups with a local presence including Bartholomew County Indivisible and 50501. The latter is organizng a larger national day of protest on April 19 across the country as well.

The speakers will focus on issues prioritized by CCU:

Beginning at 12:00 noon
Opening – Rev. Nic Cable
Hands Off our Public Education – Robbie Hadley
Hands Off our LGBTQ+ Community – Raven Stanton
 Hands Off Trans Rights –  Gabe Walters
Hands Off our Veterans – Zack Ellison
Hands Off our Bodies – Liz Cleland
Hands Off our Immigrant Neighbors – Rev. Dr. Felipe Martinez
Hands Off our Democracy and Send Off – Nathan Haza
 
CCU has changed their rally and march from this weekend in order to help support some of the local flood victims this weekend, according to organizers.
They are also asking participants of the April 19 event to bring along canned foods for donation to Love Chapel.