Thousands of people came together in front of the Capitol building on Oct. 18, holding signs and chanting in protest of the Trump Administration.

“I think democracy is under threat, the way in which Trump is rolling back so much of our basic civil rights and pushing the law to the extreme,” said Stella Dawson, a former journalist and political activist. “We need to stand up and say no, this is not acceptable.” 

Protestors were holding signs and saying chants, expressing their concerns on issues ranging from immigration to federal workers. 

Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy and Bill Nye the Science Guy took to a stage in front of the United States Capitol building and condemned the actions of the Trump administration.

Cameron Gahres, an urban planner for Falls Church, said he felt a sense of community at the protest. 

“This really is kind of a community basis of coming out, and making sure all people realize they’re not crazy for feeling the way you feel, and that you have a community here that’s against this type of authoritarian movement and blatant power grabs,” he said.

Some protestors used clothing to spread their message. Tom Carroll, who works in the international development sector, wore an inflatable shark, which he said showed he wasn’t a threat.

“I believe those on the right are trying to demonize those of us who are just trying to express our opinions,” Carroll said. 

Derrick McNeely, a volunteer for Grow Democracy — a nonpartisan group that helps people understand how ranked choice voting will work in the district’s elections — said he attended the protest hoping to see people excited to vote. 

“I just want everybody to realize even though it’s dark right now, you still have community,” McNeely said. “And, like, if we come together now, we can make a difference. The world that we want to be is very possible.”