Dozens of protesters gathered on Saturday, April 19 in front of the Town Center in Corte Madera, rallying against a range of federal policies they say are eroding democracy and threatening American values.

Barbara Saren, a longtime Marin resident and protest participant, said she was driven to attend in response to what she described as harmful policies from the current administration.

“We’re protesting all of the policies, the unlawful activities that this administration has been doing,” Saren said, “Defunding of science, delegitimizing the organizations that help America function well — like Social Security, health care, Medicare — making those institutions that were running very well run inefficient by firing people indiscriminately who have the skills to make them work. It’s anti-science, it’s anti-academic freedom. It’s deporting people without just cause. It could happen to anybody. So it’s a terrifying thing to be going through,” Saren said.

Organized by local activists, the demonstration included speakers, hand-made signs and calls for renewed civic engagement. Among those helping to coordinate the protest was Anita Bock, a manager from grassroots, an organization centered around support movements throughout the world.

“I felt that we needed to do something locally here in Corte Madera to raise awareness of all the issues that are going on,” Bock said, “Everybody that’s here has a couple of issues that they are the most passionate about, but collectively, we are deeply, deeply troubled by the direction our country is moving in. The Trump administration clearly does not care about the Constitution, happy to break the law, and we just feel that this is an existential threat to democracy.” 

Protesters cited a wide array of concerns, from immigration policy to voter rights to the perceived undermining of federal institutions. Nadine Halusic, a semi-retired teacher and longtime Marin County resident, said she’s been channeling her free time into civic action.

“I spend my time being active, trying to save our democracy,” Halusic said, “We do different things to help people vote and be aware of issues they need to call their senators about — such as the SAVE Act, which I’m hearing about now. It’s basically a voter suppression bill disguised in the sheep’s clothing of election security.” 

Additionally, Halusic expressed alarm over what she sees as the degradation of due process and the targeting of vulnerable communities.
“If we had a foreign invader come in, de

stroy our justice system, destroy our education system, destroy our sciences, destroy our Constitution, in the 1950s we would have gone to war with that country,” she said, “Now it’s coming from the inside.”

The protest remained peaceful, with cars honking horns to support, passers-by stopping to listen and even some joining in. Organizers said they hope the event sparks more local involvement and encourages people to stay engaged, informed and active around social and political issues.