(C) Daily Kos
This story was originally published by Daily Kos and is unaltered.
. . . . . . . . . .



Northern Shenandoah Valley Turns Out for Hands Off! [1]

['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.']

Date: 2025-04-05

As soon as I heard about Hands Off events being planned for April 5, 2025, I knew that I would be there. So much damage has been done and will be done. How could I not do may part to resist? How could I let the extremists win without a fight?

So many are legitimately concerned for their safety and fear speaking. I am neither fearless nor unaware that, in today’s climate, it is possible that any one of us who speaks up could be harmed in some manner. Yet, as I said to a neighbor when discussing attending a rally today, it will never be more safe than it is now.

After contemplating some sign ideas and checking the Hands Off website and local news about planned events in my area, I decided to go to an event organized by the Northern Shenandoah Valley League of Women Voters. I have been very impressed with LWV efforts over the years to register and educate voters. I had every reason to believe that they could and would organize a good event.

And they did! They chose a high visibility spot on the pedestrian mall in Winchester, VA, for the rally, and the mini-march that followed wound around the historic area downtown. They had several excellent speakers address the crowd of, I am guessing, a couple of hundred people. They, and other local supporting groups, such as the local NAACP chapter, must have done a very good job of getting the word out. That level of turnout in this area is very good.

I saw no counter-protesters. We were flipped off by just one pair men who drove by. I am thinking that our sheer numbers might have been enough to discourage anyone who might have wanted to disrupt the event.

Many of the people frequenting the restaurants along the mall cheered as we went by. I could tell there were also a few who probably did not agree with us but they said nothing.

I took no photos or video because I don’t believe in taking others’ images without permission. I am sure there will be photos and video available once the news outlets start covering the story. There is some early reporting on various Virginia events, including Winchester, here: bluevirginia.us/... If I find more later, I will update. Until I find more photos or video online, please take my word for it that many of the participants had signs reflecting wit, creativity, artistic ability and recognition of the peril we are in.

Thanks to all of you who attended or otherwise supported today’s events, once again demonstrating that we still have plenty of fight left in us.

[END]
---
[1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2025/4/5/2314791/-Northern-Shenandoah-Valley-Turns-Out-for-Hands-Off?pm_campaign=front_page&pm_source=more_community&pm_medium=web

Published and (C) by Daily Kos
Content appears here under this condition or license: Site content may be used for any purpose without permission unless otherwise specified.

via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds:
gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/dailykos/