As organizers in Oxford continue to hold rallies protesting Trump administration policies, attendance has swelled from a few dozen participants in February to a few hundred now.
Nearly 300 people turned out to a “Stand Up Oxford” rally Uptown in alignment with protests against the Trump administration across the country. The rally was the largest political gathering in Oxford so far this year.
“I’m very frustrated by the direction our country is taking, and I don’t know what else to do,” said Ann Rypstra, an attendee. “So I figure, this is one thing I can do is come out and be with people that are also frustrated.”
Cities across the country held similar events led by 50501, a grassroots political organization that coordinates collective protests across all 50 states, to protest President Donald Trump and his administration’s efforts within the first 100 days.
The rally was the second political gathering centered on Trump Uptown this month and one of roughly half a dozen so far this year. The protests have grown in size in the past two months, from roughly 70 attendees at a Feb. 17 march to roughly 275 this past week, according to event organizers.
While a protest in Oxford isn’t likely to change federal policy, Rypstra said it helps to build community and feel less alone.
Oxford Vice Mayor Chantel Raghu and Oxford NAACP Vice President Vanessa Cummings, both of whom ran and ultimately lost Democratic campaigns in heavily Republican seats last fall, spoke during the rally.
Genevieve O’Malley Knight, who staffed the resources table during the event, said she tries to show up to most political events in town to stay engaged. She’s been concerned by a number of the Trump administration’s actions in the past three months, from Elon Musk’s role in axing government programs to partisan gerrymandering. On Saturday, though, she was especially motivated by the administration’s approach to due process for immigrants.
Vanessa Cummings (left) and Chantel Raghu (center) spoke during the rally, which also featured a table with resources (right). Photos by Sean Scott
For the past month, Democratic leaders have pointed to the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, an undocumented immigrant deported to a maximum security prison in El Salvador despite no criminal record and a 2019 court order saying he couldn’t be removed to El Salvador, as a violation of due process. Trump officials have described Abrego Garcia’s deportation as the result of an “administrative error” but have claimed the administration won’t do anything to fix that error despite court orders.
“As soon as [due process] only applies to some people, it doesn’t really apply to anybody,” O’Malley Knight said. “... It’s unamerican, it’s inhumane, it’s unchristian, and that is deeply disturbing.”
Planning protests Uptown requires time and coordination. One organizer said people help in a variety of ways, from making signs to sharing resources and speaking at events. During the April 19 rally, a team of marshals in fluorescent vests helped ensure that attendees kept the sidewalks walkable for pedestrians and stayed within the areas the city had given them permission to be. Many organizers in Oxford have also taken training on de-escalation in case counter-protestors attend events.
Protestors Saturday held signs focused on social security, school funding, Kilmar Abrego Garcia and more. Photos by Sean Scott
Robbyn Abbitt volunteered as a marshal during the event, helping monitor the event for safety concerns and providing information for attendees. As local organizers have continued to hold more events, she said they’ve added more features like the resources table and speakers. Organizers on April 19 collected donations for the Talawanda-Oxford Pantry and Social Services (TOPSS) food pantry during the rally.
“Just by virtue of repetition, we’re getting more coordinated,” Abbitt said. “As you learn how to do some things, … I think there’s a real effort to make it a community event that does something more than just have us all come stand on the corner.”
