Hundreds of protestors gathered outside the Benton County Courthouse on the afternoon of Saturday, March 8, to advocate for various causes, like women’s rights, solidarity with Palestine and resistance to President Donald Trump.

Many attended Saturday’s protest because it fell on International Women’s Day, though a range of social justice issues were represented alongside women’s rights. By mid-afternoon, the crowd grew to over 250 protestors, including visitors and Corvallis residents like the mayor, high school students, and Oregon State University students and staff. 

“It’s great to see all these groups coming together and standing shoulder-to-shoulder,” said Corvallis Mayor Charles Maughan.  

In honor of the day, Women’s March, a feminist advocacy group, organized a nationwide protest that drew in many of Saturday’s attendees.

Fallon Morris, a house mother at an OSU sorority, held a sign reading, “Angry women will change the world.” Morris said she was motivated to come because of Women’s March. 

“I feel a lot of people feel isolated right now in their fear and in the reality of what’s going on,” Morris said. ”When we’re out here, we realize, ‘Oh, we’re not alone.”

Pride, Palestine and American flags could all be seen within the crowd, representing the diversity of the causes on protestors’ minds. Several cars offered supportive honks to the giant crowd, including a few semi trucks which queued the loudest cheers from the crowd.

“I’m hearing lots of honking, a lot of show-of-support for this demonstration,” said protestor Dawn Schmid. “We gotta start somewhere, and even if it is just our small Benton County community, you gotta start somewhere.”

Grant’s Pass resident, Joan Henshall, served as a helicopter pilot for the Army in the ‘70s and ‘80s. Her sign, which read “Musk sucks as president,” demonstrated her concern about the role Elon Musk plays in the Trump administration.

“I’m 71, and I’m concerned about Social Security,” Henshall said. “I’m also a veteran, and I’m very concerned about him messing with my veterans rights and my veterans benefits.”

Maughan said he was inspired to come out because he recognizes how federal budget cuts are affecting everyday people. “When people are worried about whether they’re gonna receive their Social Security paychecks that they deserve… there’s something wrong with the system,” he said. 

Henshall was also involved in the Women’s Rights Movement and said she feels that the progress made by the movement is being reversed. “It’s a different kind of outrage,” she said.

Dressed in a red cloak and bonnet, Schmid said she was representing the Handmaid’s Tale. “If we’re complacent, this could be our future,” she said.

While Schmid’s outfit demonstrated her support for women’s rights, she was also there to express her disapproval of Trump and support Palestine.

“Justice for Palestinians is central to overthrowing the authoritarianism that we’re all against here,” said Joshua Soderlund, an organizer for Corvallis Palestine Solidarity and a programmer at OSU. 

Corvallis Palestine Solidarity hosts rallies every Saturday outside the courthouse. Palestine protestors could be seen throughout the crowd holding Palestinian flags, wearing keffiyehs and carrying signs advocating for peace in the region.

Andrea Bibee, who recently got back from Palestine where she was doing volunteer work, was surprised by the turnout. “I’m so glad to see people out finally, kind of waking up to whatever the issues that bring them here,” she said. 

“For people driving by, hopefully, they’re feeling like they’re in a safer space (and) that they’re in a town that’s going to support them if they are in need,” Bibee said.