(Photo by Audrey Scully) Travis, Henry, Randy, and Jan in the anti-Trump protest at the Wayne Morse Free Speech Plaza outside the Federal Courthouse in downtown Eugene at 12 pm, Tuesday, Feb. 11. Protesters have gathered here every Tuesday since January 24, 2017, which was the first Tuesday after the Women's March, and Trump's inauguration.
Demonstrators assemble weekly to protest the President.
Tuesday, Feb. 11 — A crowd of 20 stalwart Eugenians gathered downtown near the steps of the Federal Courthouse continuing a weekly tradition that began in January of 2017.
There, every Tuesday, is a vigil to both mourn and resist the policies and practices of the Trump administration.
The weekly meetings were started by Eugene Indivisible, a grassroots all-volunteer 501c4 community group working toward building a progressive future.
According to their website, Eugene Indivisible’s mission “is to build a local, inclusive resistance movement to oppose regressive policies by collaborating with allied groups to promote a just Democracy and support the common good.”
Although the gatherings were founded under the auspices of Eugene Indivisible, many of those gathered were unaffiliated with the organization.
Supporters like Nora and Paul Baker travel from as far as Loraine, Oregon and have attended every one since Inauguration Day of 2017.
The Baker’s admitted that while they knew they probably would not be changing anyone’s mind toward President Trump, they felt it was their obligation to participate in the demonstrations.
(Photo by Audrey Scully) While one person in a large truck yelled, “Trump 2020,” from his window and another held up a Trump campaign sign, the protest was mostly well received this day, with honks and waves from smiling motorists. 
(Photo by Audrey Scully) Travis, Henry, Randy, and Jan in the anti-Trump protest at the Wayne Morse Free Speech Plaza outside the Federal Courthouse in downtown Eugene at 12 pm, Tuesday, February 11. Protesters have gathered here every Tuesday since January 24, 2017, which was the first Tuesday after the Women’s March, and Trump’s inauguration.
While weekly themes are often suggested by EI for topics of demonstration — this week’s theme was a spotlight on the thousands of forgotten migrant children held in detention facilities — most in attendance use their Tuesday as a broader form of resistance to President Trump writ large.
“Forrest Gump would do better!” a man named Bob exclaimed when asked why he was there.
Like other demonstrators, Bob was an older individual who first learned about the meetups through the internet and had found a sense of community in participating. Living with disabilities and seated in a wheelchair, he expressed that one of the many reasons he was there was to protest the lack of money for the disabled. With the help of an aide by his side, he looks forward to the weekly hour-long demonstrations.
“Hell yeah!” he exclaimed. “I’ll keep coming out [until] he’s out of office!”
Counter demonstrations are very rare and usually do not amount to anything more than a half dozen angry shouts from passing cars or, perhaps, a middle finger. There’s been one instance over the past three years of a man destroying a female protester’s sign. Demonstrations are ongoing and take place in front of the Federal Courthouse at 405 E. 8 Ave every Tuesday from 12-1p.m.
