Hundreds of people, armed with signs, slogans, and vitriol converged on the Roundhouse yesterday.
They were there, on President’s Day, to voice their anger with a series of executive actions and federal funding cutbacks that have marked the first few weeks of the second Donald Trump presidency.
“ I'm here today to stop the ruining of our democracy by the administration in power right now. “
That’s Mark Shubatt, of Santa Fe, who stood outside the statehouse holding a sign that read “No To Dictators Day.”
The local action was part of a coordinated nationwide effort, called “No Kings Day,” that drew demonstrators to the streets from coast to coast.
Emily Romero and Maria Jaunakais made the trip from Albuquerque to join the throng at the Capitol.
In answer to a question about how she feels the Democratic Party leadership should respond, Romero was ready with a number of suggestions.
“ I think they really need to organize something like a national boycott, national strike. General strike. They need to be more active in their local communities as well as in Washington D.C.," Romero said.
"And they have to get the Republicans on board. We have to get Republicans who are willing to have a spine speak up about what is wrong and demonstrate that with action.”
Meanwhile, inside the statehouse, three members of New Mexico’s congressional delegation, Senators Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Lujan, and U.S. Representative Teresa Leger Fernandez, were paying a visit to talk about their approaches to pushing back.
We’ll hear more from those three lawmakers later in the week.
