Robin Cutlip, president of the WomenÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s March of West Virginia, center with microphone, speaks during the 50501 Protest on the south steps of the West Virginia Capitol on Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025.
Protestors holding signs begin their march around the West Virginia Capitol following their rally on the south side steps during the 50501 Protest on Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025.
A speaker who identified himself as Rio, of Charleston, leads a chant during the 50501 Protest on the south steps of the West Virginia Capitol on Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025.
Hundreds of protesters gathered at the West Virginia State Capitol in Charleston to demonstrate against the policies of President TrumpÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s administration and Project 2025 on Feb. 5, 2025. This was part of a nationwide movement called ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œ50 Protests, 50 States, 1 Day,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ which organized protests in state capitals and major cities across the U.S.
SEAN McCALLISTER | HD ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
More than 300 people gathered on the south side of West VirginiaÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s Capitol on Wednesday afternoon to protest recent actions of President Donald Trump, Elon Musk and Project 2025.
is a collection of conservative policy proposals. While campaigning for president, Donald Trump denied Project 2025 was a blueprint for his second administration, though its authors include several veterans of TrumpÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s first term of office and some from his current or planned administration, including Russell Vought, his pick for chief of the White House Office of Management and Budget.
Grassroots gathering
Similar protests, known as 50501 to represent ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œ50 states, 50 protests, 1 day,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ took place across the country. They were organized through social media. The Charleston protest was a grassroots gathering with no organizer in charge.
Robin Cutlip, president of , said an organizing group isnÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™t necessary ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œwhen you have people who have a voice.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
Cutlip was hoping for at least 50 attendees at the protest. Plans for 50501 protests started around 10 days ago on the social media Reddit.
Robin Cutlip, president of the WomenÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s March of West Virginia, center with microphone, speaks during the 50501 Protest on the south steps of the West Virginia Capitol on Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025.
Protestors hold signs while listening to speakers during the 50501 Protest on the south steps of the West Virginia Capitol on Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025.
CHRIS DORST | HD ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
Homemade signs
Attendees shared their priorities with signs such as ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œNo Project 2025,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œSend Musk to Mars,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œHands Off My Social SecurityÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ and ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œReject Fascism Defend Equality.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
Megan ClevengerÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s cardboard sign said ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œI donÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™t like this episode of Black Mirror,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ a dystopian television drama.
Clevenger, of Charleston, said she sees parallels to the TV show as society and government are ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œgoing backwards,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ especially when it comes to the rights of the LGBTQ community, to which she said she belongs.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œI would like to just spread awareness. I was waiting for a protest, so as soon as I [saw] it, I was like ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥˜I have to go out and support everybody in this community here,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ she said.
Delegate Mike Pushkin, D-Kanawha, who attended the event, said the protestors may not agree on every issue, but ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œone thing we do agree on is that weÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™re going down the wrong road, and that we can do better, and we need to do better.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
Damian Herrada came from Summersville with homemade signs about diversity, equity and inclusion and immigrants, LGBTQ and womenÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s rights.
Herrada said he was concerned for the families of those being deported and for people like his brother.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œMy brother, heÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s autistic. If it wasnÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™t for a lot of help that he got in school, heÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™d probably be dead right now,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Herrada said. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œThe last thing we need to do is dismantle the Department of Education.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
Fears of deportation
The three Olivares sisters from South Charleston came to protest the deportation of undocumented immigrants, and fight for the rights of an undocumented relative whoÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s lived in the country for 25 years. They wore Mexican flags or blankets and a sombrero.
Their signs said, ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œStop pretending your racism is patriotism,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ and ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œUsing my voice for the Hispanics that canÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™t.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œIÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™ve seen the mass deportations. IÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™ve seen people in fear not wanting to go to work,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ said Nevaeh Olivares. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œIÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™m scared for my family.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
Illana Olivares said she and her sisters had been ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œdehumanizedÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ because of their race. She said she wished people would look at more than her relativeÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s race.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œItÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s just hard that people hate him just [because] he cannot speak English and because of what he looks like,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ said Illana Olivares. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œThatÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s why IÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™m here today ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥” to show people that he ... has a right to be here just as everyone else.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
Other views
Britney Helton, a lifelong friend of the Olivares sisters, came to the event in their support. She also came to fight for LGBTQ rights.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œAs a gay woman, I donÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™t want my rights to be taken away, my right to marry someone I love ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥” thatÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s terrifying,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ she said. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œIÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™m just here to fight for everyoneÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s rights in general because no matter what, underneath the skin weÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™re all human. We all bleed the same color.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
DL Hamilton, of Charleston, holds a sign during the 50501 Protest on the south steps of the West Virginia Capitol on Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025.
CHRIS DORST | HD ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
Protestor DL Hamilton, 71, said she couldnÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™t believe she was feeling threatened by ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œauthoritarianism in the United States.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ SheÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s been protesting since high school, when she was allowed to drive from Oak Hill to Charleston for the first time for a protest against the Vietnam War.
On the steps of the Capitol, she set up an ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œindigenous-inspired altarÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ representing the elements of earth, air, fire and water. Some of her signs mentioned Sen. Jim Justice, R-W.Va., and Republican Gov. Patrick Morrisey.
Hamilton cried as she said she felt her voice was not wanted and wouldnÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™t be heard in the statehouse.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œI just feel that Donald Trump, Jim Justice and Morrisey have some kind of agenda that does not have the earth or the people in mind,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ she said. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œThey just do not care about this land or about West Virginia or about really anything other than their own power, glory and manipulation.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
Protestors holding signs begin their march around the West Virginia Capitol following their rally on the south side steps during the 50501 Protest on Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025.
CHRIS DORST | HD ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
March around the Capitol
For about an hour, protestors, including a few elementary-aged children, stood in front of the Capitol speaking with a loudspeaker brought by an organizer who called himself Rio.
A speaker who identified himself as Rio, of Charleston, leads a chant during the 50501 Protest on the south steps of the West Virginia Capitol on Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025.
photos by CHRIS DORST | HD ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
No counter-protestors or Trump supporters were seen at the rally.
Then, they marched around the Capitol with chanting ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œNo more NazisÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ and ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œOut with Morrisey.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Some drivers showed their support by honking their horns.
Andrew Taylor, 17, a junior at Riverside High School, said it was important for him to be at the protest, even though heÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s not a woman, gay, transgender or an immigrant.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œI have nothing that would really make me lose sleep at night,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ he said. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œI have the perfect ability to come here and to be able to fight for other people because other people canÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™t fight for themselves.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
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