T-R PHOTO BY LANA BRADSTREAM Participants in the March for Change protest circle around the Marshall County Courthouse on Wednesday. This was the third protest, with future ones scheduled for the first Wednesday of every month at 5 p.m.

Chilly temperatures and strong winds kept some people from participating in Wednesday’s protest, but the monthly event is slowly growing.

The March for Change protest featured more than 40 residents circling the Marshall County Courthouse, chanting and holding picket signs. Compared to the previous two protests, there was also an increase in the number of drivers honking their horns and waving objects out of windows as they drove by on Main, Church and Center streets and First Avenue.

The monthly protests began in February, and many participants have shown up every time to make their concerns known, such as Rachel Fallgon and Dorie Tammen.

Tammen said she is struggling with everything that has happened, but took note of the growing number of participants.

“I think once the weather gets nicer, we will get more people,” she said.

When asked if she was protesting any of the latest government actions, Tammen said a recent federal event haunted her.

“I cannot get the images of those immigrant men sent to El Salvador (out of my head),” she said. “We know at least one and possibly more are not criminals.”

Tammen compared it to a concentration camp. She added that her parents grew up in Nazi Germany.

“They did not come here, thinking their grandchildren would live in a fascist country,” Tammen said. “I’m horrified by this.”

She said people are getting picked off the streets and hauled away in unmarked cars. Tammen asked how people are supposed to know such actions are legitimate and added criminals could easily pretend to be United States Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) representatives.

Fallgon said she keeps showing up because it is important and it is something she can do. She particularly likes the monthly protests are peaceful. As a mother and a volunteer, Fallgon said this is not the world she expected to hand over to the younger generation. An avid reader, she loved reading dystopian future novels, such as “Fahrenheit 451” by Ray Bradbury.

“I haven’t lately because they’re too parallel to the world that we seem to live in right now,” Fallgon said. “A lot of people think ‘Fahrenheit 451’ is just about censorship, but part of the message and lesson is that the reason it happened is not only the government, but the people got complacent. They were fine with being addicted to screens, fast cars, cigarettes and that’s where things went awry.”

She carried a handmade sign stating “Love books? Support your local library.” Fallgon is concerned about recent legislation targeting libraries, such as House File 880 which would take some public funds away from libraries if there are due-paying memberships to the Iowa Library Association or the American Library Association.

She added there were many more recent government actions she did not agree with, saying she felt the public school system is under attack, certain vaccines are being outlawed and there seems to be opposition toward women, the LGBTQIA+ community, veterans, immigrants and homeless individuals. Fallgon wondered why some people do not find anything wrong with it.

“It’s not okay,” she said. “This is all of our home.”

Not all of the protesters were familiar faces. Kelly Clark, who considers himself a moderate independent, joined Wednesday’s protest for the first time. He echoed parts of what Tammen said, adding there are parallels between what is happening in the United States and Germany in the 1930s.

“This is at the early stages of what happened there,” Clark said. “I feel like the longer he goes, the more bold he’s going to become and do crazier things than what he’s doing already. That concerns me. I’m concerned for our democracy. That’s the main reason I am here today.”

He wondered how people can not see it and speculated they think it can be stopped if it goes too far.

“If they feel that way now, by the time they think it’s gone too far, it may already be too late to stop it without a revolution, and I don’t want to see that happen,” Clark said. “I’m not promoting anarchy. I believe in what we’re doing here, a peaceful protest. I believe in the democratic process, and I think these guys are trying to kill the democratic process.”

He added that he is also protesting the Trump administration’s emphasis on gutting the federal government in attempts to privatize various aspects.

“I feel like he and his cronies will be the ones controlling the companies,” Clark said. “It’s an opportunity for them to get richer off of the public dollar.”

Tammen said the protests will be held on the first Wednesday of every month at 5 p.m .at the courthouse. The next one is scheduled for May 7.

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Contact Lana Bradstream at 641-753-6611 ext. 210 or lbradstream@timesrepublican.com.