EVERETT — Over 100 protesters gathered Wednesday afternoon at the Snohomish County Campus to speak out against what they called a “hostile takeover of the federal government” by President Donald Trump.
Protesters opposed recent executive actions that would have frozen many federal grants and loans. The group also spoke out against employees at the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency being granted access to the federal treasury department’s payment system. That system includes personal information — names, bank account numbers and Social Security identifiers — of people who receive Social Security checks, tax refunds and other payments from the federal government, The New York Times reported.
People listen to speakers during a rally organized by Snohomish County Indivisible at the Snohomish County Campus on Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Dean Smith, the co-founder of a local environmental activist group, 350 Everett, said he is worried about the safety of his social security information. Currently, his monthly social security check is his only source of income. Smith said senators in Washington, D.C. should use any method at their disposal to stop Trump, as well as Musk, who heads the Department of Government Efficiency.
Rev. Rachel Taber-Hamilton speaks to those gathered on the Snohomish County Campus during a rally organized by Snohomish County Indivisible at the Snohomish County Campus on Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
“Any senator can stop the Senate in its tracks. There are methods they can use,” Smith said. “Some of them are called nasty. It’s time to be nasty.”
A person with a “STOP MUSK” sign standing in the middle of a crowd of a hundred people gathered during a rally organized by Snohomish County Indivisible at the Snohomish County Campus on Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
The event’s organizers, a local progressive group known as Snohomish County Indivisible, delivered a letter to a staffer of Sen. Patty Murray at the event. In the letter, the group asks that senators use a number of methods — including walking out of Senate proceedings, maxing out debate time and opposing every cabinet member nominated by Trump — to slow or stop the president’s actions.
People walk from the Snohomish County Campus to the Everett Municipal Building during a rally organized by Snohomish County Indivisible on Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
“Stop the Senate. Freeze the Senate. Nothing moves until this nonsense is done,” said Paula Townsell, a member of Snohomish County Indivisible since 2016.
The protest took place alongside more than a dozen others in states across the country, organized online under the name “50501.” Wednesday’s protest in Everett was not tied to the “50501” protests, organizers said.
Founder of Snohomish County Indivisible Naomi Dietrich speaks to those gathered for the rally on Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
The turnout was expected to be lower, Townsell said, because Snohomish County Indivisible first announced plans for the protest on Monday. Protesters, young and old, walked from the county campus to the Everett Municipal Building to deliver the letter to a staffer for Sen. Murray. The crowd chanted “Freeze the Senate.”
“Everything is rife right now with bigotry, prejudice and hatred,” said Allen Hicks, a reverend at the Trinity Episcopal Church in Everett. “It’s not what this country is about.”
A person takes a photograph through the front window of the Everett Municipal Building of those participating during a rally organized by Snohomish County Indivisible at the Snohomish County Campus on Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
School closures due to Wednesday’s snowy weather meant some young students joined the protest as well.
Three students at the protest were part of the YMCA of Snohomish County’s Youth and Government program, which sends children ages 13 to 18 to the state’s legislative session in Olympia to propose new laws every year. For the students, though, Wednesday’s protest was where they felt they could really make a change.
“I want to go into politics and help change things,” said 16-year old Basil Jolley. “Youth and Government is a great program, it’s amazing, but getting out here and actually being here is what really makes me feel like I’m making a difference. People are like, ‘You’re a kid, you’re under 18, you can’t vote, you won’t make a difference.’ But we can make a difference.”
“And we will vote them out,” 14-year old Ari Smith added.
Will Geschke: 425-339-3443; william.geschke@heraldnet.com; X: @willgeschke.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
Gallery
