Keene’s park in Central Square was packed with nearly 450 protesters for International Women’s Day, with people from all over the region coming out to participate.
The protest was scheduled to start at 12 p.m. on Saturday, March 8, with an anticipated turnout of around 200 people, according to Kristen Petricola, one of the organizers. Petricola, a Keene resident, said she and Beth Caldwell organized through the platform Mobilize, with the groups Third Act and Women’s March participating.
Third Act is a volunteer political organization for people over 60 years of age to become politically active in progressive politics. The organization was founded by Bill McKibben, author and Schumann Distinguished Professor in Residence at Middlebury College in Vermont, according to his biography on Third Act’s website.
Women’s March is a political organization looking to build “a base of feminists to end sexism, sexist exploitation, and oppression,” according to the organization’s website.
“We’re happy for it [large turnout]. We had only about 100 [people] last time, about two weeks ago,” Petricola said. “People just need a place to come out and express what their values are and express their complete frustration,” said Petricola. She spoke passionately of the array of issues covered by protesters, from women’s rights to workers’ rights to support for Medicare and Medicaid programs.
Community members from all walks of life were present at the demonstration. Matt Bean, the football coach for Stevens High School in Claremont, N.H., traveled down to Keene to make his voice heard.
“I’m fighting for democracy, fighting Elon Musk and Donald Trump’s takeover of our government, the firing of many workers and women’s rights,” Bean said. “I’m fighting for the public benefits that people rely on to function in life. 80 million people are on Medicaid … I’m a special education teacher and I know our schools rely on it,” Bean added.
Heather Sperling, a Marlboro, Vt. resident and KSC alumna, said, “I wanted to go to a march today and Montpelier was a lot further than Keene, so I came here to be present with the community and stand up for rights for all humans.”
Jess Carpenter of Keene said, “I’m concerned about our rights being taken. Everybody should be fighting for our democracy.”
Dwyer Mitchell of Alstead, N.H. came with her mother to join the protest.
“I’m really upset about everything that is going on, it’s the most depressing thing in the world. I didn’t know it [the protest] was going to be so big and this is the most hopeful I have felt to see so much of the community caring,” said Mitchell.
Keene residents were able to talk with their state representatives as well. Terri O’Rorke, N.H. representative for Cheshire District 7; Jodi Newell, N.H. representative for Cheshire District 4 and Bobby Williams, city councilor for Keene Ward 2 were in Central Square on Saturday. Williams and Newell said they came out to support those at the protest.
“I’m out here to build community with other people who are really upset about the direction our country has taken since the election in November. I’m here to make sure other people are excited to be here and to support the movement overall,” said Williams.
Newell added, “I love to come out to absolutely everything that I can and I am very happy to see unfamiliar faces as well. More and more people are coming out and I am happy to be amongst friends.”
O’Rorke added she is usually out on Saturdays for the peace vigil held in Central Square, so she wanted to come support this protest. She also writes political articles for Democracy in New Hampshire, a local blog. Some of these articles are call-to-action pieces about upcoming legislation for those interested in speaking with their representatives, said O’Rorke.
Petricola said they are looking to hold protest events in Central Square every two to three weeks going forward.
Timothy Fitzpatrick can be contacted at
tfitzpatrick@kscequinox.com
