Around 60 people showed up outside the Capitol in Cheyenne around noon Feb. 5 to protest the Trump administration, Elon Musk’s role in the federal government and, to a lesser extent, the Wyoming Freedom Caucus. With no organizers present, the protest came about through online organizing, referred to as “decentralized protesting” by some present.
Trump and Musk
During the first Trump administration, one of the largest protests in American history took place. The Women's March featured millions of Americans marching in protest of the election of Donald Trump, many wearing a “pink pussy” hat.
Eight years later, Mary from Cheyenne, who did not share her last name, is wearing the same hat, this time made by her daughter specifically for this protest. Like Mary, others declined to share their last name as well, citing a level of caution they chose to take under a new administration that protesters said is after their civil liberties.
“I think a lot of people are frightened by what’s going on right now,” Mary said, buffeted by the cold, high winds that blew protesters’ signs and whipped flags around for the nearly three hours in which protesters remained at the Capitol.
Mary spoke about her history of protesting and her time as an educator and active member of her community. Mary, as well as many younger members of the protest, wore medical masks and sunglasses. Whether for anonymity or health, the mask couldn’t hide a clear shift in her demeanor when the conversation changed to world’s wealthiest man, Elon Musk, who’s taken a prominent role in Trump’s administration.
“He should be deported. He needs to go back to South Africa. He should be deported,” said Mary.
PolitiFact says Musk was born in South Africa and became a U.S. citizen in 2002 after coming to the country on a student visa in 1992, according to a biography written by Walter Isaacson.
Protesters held similar signs, calling for Musk’s removal from the country. For some, the term was merely a play on words, citing Trump’s current effort to deport undocumented immigrants, international students and some U.S. citizens. Others, like Mary, appeared serious. That sentiment was strongest with older protesters.
Younger protesters voiced a sense of fear for minority groups and brought flags representing LGBTQ people.
Project 2025, ICE raids and deportations, as well as Musk’s involvement at the federal level, were topics protesters voiced the most concern about.
Will Sanchez, another resident of Cheyenne, used a different term to describe the combination of executive orders, sudden policy changes and general tone of the current administration: “fascism.”
“You know people are against [fascism],” said Sanchez. “It’s not good to single people out for their racial heritage or their color or their beliefs, what their sexual preference is. People don't want to see that.”
Here at home
Around 2:30 p.m., protesters turned the gathering into a march around the Capitol building. With Wyoming Highway Patrollers stationed at the Capitol watching from inside, the protesters, now closer to 50 people, took to the sidewalks of the Capitol Complex. An individual with a megaphone led the walk, as well as a chant. Once on the side of the complex closest to the chamber floor of the House of Representatives, the man with the megaphone started a chant aimed at state lawmakers.
“Freedom Caucus sucks,” called out the man. “Freedom Caucus sucks,” replied the protesters.
While some lawmakers were aware of the protest, they remained inside committee meetings and on the chamber floors. But at least one representative thought it comment-worthy.
Freedom Caucus Chair Rep. Rachel Rodriguez-Williams (R-Cody) snapped a few pictures and made a Facebook post reading, “Small group protesting out front of the Wyoming State Capitol wanting President Trump impeached.”
Many protesters came intending to protest Trump, Musk or the administration’s policies. Few were actively aware of bills or lawmakers currently in the Wyoming statehouse, barring a consensus that the protesters were against the Freedom Caucus. However, some protesters did come to protest state politics.
Many of the younger protesters declined an on-record interview, like one individual who stood facing the Capitol building the entire time. They held a sign that read, “SF0124 DON’T CRIMINALIZE COMPASSION”. SF 124 is a Senate bill called, “Illegal immigration-identify, report, detain and deport.” Another protester, holding three different signs, held up one that read “SF0103 is fascist!!!” next to a crossed-out Nazi symbol. SF103 is another Senate file, called “Terminating and defunding diversity, equity and inclusion.”
Former Freedom Caucus Chair Rep. John Bear (R-Gillette) responded to some of the protesters’ criticism the following day.
“You know, when we all do our part, there should be an excess of resources and we can share them," said Bear. “Anytime someone doesn't respect the laws of this country enough to stay on their own until they can legally come here, I would say that they're not being compassionate. They're taking away resources from the people who are rightfully here.”
Decentralized and organized
The Cheyenne gathering was held in coordination with a nationwide protest against Trump and Musk. However, despite some protesters leading call-and-response chants, or a march around the Capitol building, there were no actual organizers present.
Some were confused about when they should show up and how many people would be there due to multiple sources online talking about the protest.
“My friend who I came here with told me about it and apparently it’s like in the last 48 hours, it got organized big on, like, Reddit,” said Alex Soveroski of Laramie. “I think [there were] other places online … like a Discord channel that was planning stuff since early January, I guess.”
Protesters mentioned Bluesky, Reddit, Discord, Facebook, X and Instagram as places they heard about the event. One person said they were made aware of the event by “looking at the YouTube comments.”
The nationwide organizers are called Build the Resistance and they named the nationwide day of protest “50501” for 50 states, 50 protests, 1 day. Build the Resistance, as well as protesters here on the ground, called it “decentralized protesting” and claimed it’s a way to rapidly respond to events taking place.
The organization’s homepage now totes the success of the protest, saying it was “covered by every major media outlet” and claiming “[the] working class will not sit idly by as plutocrats rip apart their democratic institutions.” They ended the short statement saying that protesters should now begin “organizing.”
