The event was one of more about 350 People’s Marches held around the country Saturday. The annual protests debuted in 2017 as the Women’s March to protest the policies of Donald Trump, whose inauguration had been held the day before. National organizers said this year’s change from the Women’s March to the People’s March was intended to draw a broader coalition and a set of goals including women’s and reproductive rights, LGBTQ rights, immigration, climate and democracy.

Houghton’s crowd met at Bridgeview Park in Houghton before proceeding down the Portage Lake Lift Bridge, where they held signs on the Hanock side such as “Stand for Democracy!” and “Equal Rights for All.”

The turnout was impressive, considering the weather, said co-organizer Susan Burack. She spoke at the Bridgeview Park along with William Keith, chair of the Houghton County Democratic Party. He said the signs were a way for Saturday crowd to declare their principles.

“We’re telling people that these are rights that we want to protect, that we fought for hard, and we’re not going to let them go, and that we are here today because we’re telling people we are going to be here tomorrow,” he said.

William Keith, chair of the Houghton County Democratic Party, speaks to participants in Houghton’s People’s March Saturday. (Garrett Neese/Daily Mining Gazette)

Despite the change in administration, Keith said people can help effect change by pressuring local, state and federal officials. Volunteers carried sign-in sheets Saturday for a local Democratic newsletter to stay on top of local actions, meetings or other urgent issues.

“We are represented by two great Democrats and Jack Bergman, and we have points of leverage and we have places where our action, where our presence matters, and can make a difference,” he said.

Kevin Trewartha of Houghton came with his children. For him, Saturday’s march was a way to show support for freedoms and rights in America, and liberty for everyone.

“We have concerns about the future of this country if we’re being so strongly influenced by the billionaire class,” he said. “And we believe in the importance of immigrants to this country, to making it the strong country that it is. And so we want to make sure that legal immigration is still a pathway to folks.”

Freedom of speech, freedom of the press and bodily autonomy are some of the things Holly Nemiroff of Houghton will be working to protect over the next four years.

“This sounds cliche, but I think democracy is very important, and I think freedom is very important, and I think it should be preserved,” she said.

Most of Saturday’s attendees were local. One exception was Andy Kline, who was up visiting from Kalamazoo. He’d helped organize their first march in 2017.

He’d come to the local march during his visit “because we need to.” His top priorities were civil rights, women’s rights, and making sure people at the lower end of the economic spectrum aren’t cut off from important resources.

“We’ll see what happens over the next four years, whether he’s a complete idiot or not, and hopefully things will go well,” he said. “But people need to pay attention to this stuff.”