Weekend of protests in Forest Grove, Hillsboro planned

At least three protests involving Forest Grove residents are planned this weekend as part of a nationwide protest against President Donald Trump and billionaire tech CEO Elon Musk, who leads the Department of Government Efficiency.

Known as the "Hands Off" protest, hundreds of demonstrations across the nation are planned for Saturday, April 5.

According to Beth Genly, Indivisible Forest Grove—a local chapter of the nationwide group—will join with Indivisible Hillsboro at the Hillsboro Civic Center Plaza (150 E. Main Street, Hillsboro) Saturday, April 5, starting at 10 a.m.

To promote participation in the event, the group will be at the Forest Grove flagpole the day before on Friday, April 4, starting at 4:30 p.m., Genly said.

The large flag east of Safeway, located at the triangle where Forest Grove's one-way grid begins, has become a common protest site.

The group has held several protests at the same location since Trump’s inauguration.

"Forest Grove citizens are extremely concerned about the threats from the Trump administration to Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, which are lifelines to many of us," Genly said in a news release emailed to News in the Grove. "We are appalled by abductions of immigrants on thin pretexts and without due process. We are upset by the disruptions to students’ and teachers’ educational experiences through federal meddling.  And we are stunned by the Signalgate scandal, which revealed our highest officials’ cavalier approach to protecting the secrets that ensure the safety of our nation’s servicemen and women."

A third protest, also at the flagpole, is scheduled Saturday from 4 to 5 p.m., as first reported by the Forest Grove News-Times. Genly was not certain who put that event together, but welcomed the addition.

"Some Indivisible Forest Grove members will join them as well," Genly said in an email to News in the Grove.