SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Feb. 10, 2025 (Gephardt Daily) — The Salt Lake City Police Department has released a statement, saying the crowd attending the anti-ICE, anti-Trump, anti-Musk protest which rallied Saturday at the State Capitol and the Salt Lake City-County Building, numbered at around 1,100.
The passionate, yet peaceful throng, began gathering at about 1 p.m. at the Capitol, where multiple speakers sharply criticized the Trump administration, characterizing it as a racist, authoritarian regime bent on undermining the rule of law while imposing a right wing oligarchy under the sway of Elon Musk.
Those in the crowd were especially concerned about the aggressive new immigration policies which they feel target not just criminals, but law abiding immigrants: those who came the US looking for jobs, or to avoid violence and persecution in their native countries.
They also took issue with the spate of executive orders taking aim at DEI initiatives, as well the LGBQT community.
VIDEO: Gephardt Daily
“I’m here to support my community and the people that I love,” said protester Andrea Hernandez, “but with Trump in power now and seeing everything he’s doing, I’m flashing fascism. The United States of America was built off of colonialism, slavery, and now exploiting immigrants. For people to say ‘You don’t belong here,’ is just baffling to me.”
“I’m just frustrated,” said demonstrator Tallon Ernstrom. “The way things are right now, I feel like we’ve definitely lost something in the past 10 years, regardless of political party, regardless of whatever is going on in the White House. I feel like it’s just a general loss of direction. I think we do need to do something to get back on track.”
Photo: Gephardt Daily/ Patrick Benedict
As the demonstration grew in intensity, rally goers left the Capitol and marched down State Street to Washington Square. During the trek, medical personnel responded to an auto-pedestrian call at 350 S. State S. According to a Salt Lake City PD news release, officers spoke “with all involved parties, including independent witnesses. No arrests have been made, and the investigation is ongoing.”
Photo: Gephardt Daily/ Patrick Benedict
Upon arriving at the City-County Building, another group of speakers, bullhorns in hand, rallied the fired-up crowd before exhorting them to once again hit the streets and march back to the Capitol Building. Hundreds of them did just that while SLCPD officers kept them from fanning out into downtown.
A small group of masked counter protestors were seen on the perimeter of the State House grounds during the course of the protest, but their interactions with demonstrators appeared limited.
Photo: Gephardt Daily/ Bill Gephardt
