NORWICH - On Saturday April 5, more than 200 people showed up in downtown Norwich's East and West Parks for a rally organized by Chenango Change Indivisible and 50501.

The weather was miserable: windy, rainy, and cold, but that didn't stop folks from coming together and making their voices heard.

More than five million Americans participated in the “Hands Off”movement across the U.S.

Local community members carried signs demanding that the current administration and any “Unelected Oligarchs” keep their “Hands Off” our Social Security, Medicaid, and Medicare, fair elections, public lands, our jobs, NATO, our bodies, libraries, schools, veteran services, free speech, immigrants, LGBTQ+ rights and clean energy.

Speakers at the rally included two dynamic high school students who explained how all the changes made by this government will negatively affect their future dreams and goals.

This was one of many upcoming actions to fight for our country and our freedoms said local protest leaders.

“We want to let our friends and neighbors in Chenango County know that we are here and we aren't going anywhere. We will grow, organize and push for real change both locally and nationally,” said Chenango County Democratic Committee Chair Patricia Giltner.

For more information or to join Chenango Change Indivisible e-mail them at chenangochange@gmail.com or find them on Facebook or on Bluesky to learn more about their parent organization you can visit them at indivisible.org.

Also for information about the local Democratic party visit, chenangoconydems.com.

- Information from the Chenango County Democratic Committee