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Protesters by the hundreds took to the streets of Wyoming towns on April 5 during “Hands Off!” protests. Among those protesting President Donald Trump’s recent actions were veterans and young mothers, adolescents and grandparents. 

And dogs. Judging by their presence, many Wyoming canines also have their hackles up over the federal tumult. 

Beamish, a 9-year-old Westie terrier, perched on a bench alongside protesters displaying a sign of his own. “Don’t DOGE on me!” it read. Meanwhile, the human protesters nearby held signs expressing dismay at everything from the treatment of Ukraine to large cuts to the federal workforce and threats to Social Security. 

Organizers estimate that nearly 500 people showed up to the Lander event, one of many such protests that took place across the state and country. There was a jubilant air to the Lander gathering, and passing vehicles showed ample support with honks — as well as occasional dissent with black exhaust burps. 

Organizers estimate nearly 500 people participated in the April 5, 2025 “Hands Off!” protest of federal government actions in Lander. Dogs were well represented. (Katie Klingsporn/WyoFile)

Aaron Hjelt, a Lander resident who organized the event, attributed the high turnout to the spirit of the protest, which he said strove to welcome all with concerns, regardless of their party affiliation. 

“We all have concerns about what’s happening at the federal level and with the chaos and the dismantling of our public institutions,” Hjelt said as the event wrapped up. “So I think part of it is just that general solidarity and knowing that we can accomplish things if we don’t have to live under a brand of being a Democrat or Republican or liberal or a conservative, if we can talk about the concerns that we have and how to accomplish those things as neighbors, rather than as a party or organization.”

Katie Klingsporn reports on outdoor recreation, public lands, education and general news for WyoFile. She’s been a journalist and editor covering the American West for 20 years. Her freelance work has...

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