Hundreds protest Trump policies in Portland, Vancouver

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Protests kicked off across the Pacific Northwest hours before President Donald Trump’s speech to Congress Tuesday night.

A crowd formed around Portland City Hall around noon and marched a 2-mile loop across Hawthorne Bridge back to Pioneer Square, where community members shared speeches alongside performances from local musicians.

Most of those in attendance were from around the area. But Emily Vandereems, in Portland on vacation from Rochester, New York, joined in.

“What better way to spend the time off?” she said. “I have advocated something that I feel strongly about.”

“I’m angry and sad and confused and frustrated,” said Haili Vandereems of Portland. “I just want to stand up for those things.”

Another Portland protester, Andrea McDaniel, said she was a veteran who is concerned for her country.

“I am afraid about our democracy,” she said. “I’m really worried. So that’s why I’m here.”

“I think when people come out and they speak, and they show up and they allow the news and the world to see how they feel about what’s going on,” said Portlander Judith Baker. “I think that has an impact.”

Marches also took place in Vancouver and Salem — all linked to the 50501 movement.

The 50501 movement — which claims to represent “50 protests, 50 states, 1 movement” — is made up of independent volunteers who oppose the Trump administration’s “executive overreach.”

“We need to speak up against it at the time to speak up against this,” said Matt Gilbert, an independent volunteer organizer. “Now it’s just going to keep getting worse and worse.”

Since taking office, President Trump has issued several executive orders that range from designating English as the official language of the U.S. to eliminating DEI initiatives that protect those who have been discriminated against based on factors like race, gender, or disability.

He has also created the Department of Government Efficiency, overseen by billionaire adviser Elon Musk, to cut back on staffing and government spending related to “waste, fraud, and abuse,” according to the DOGE website.

Tuesday also marks the first day of the president’s tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports, putting a 25% tax on products making their way into the U.S. This comes after he put a 10% tariff on imports from China in February, which have since doubled to 20%.

KOIN 6 News reached out to Oregon Republican lawmakers, who declined to comment.