Thousands of people gathered on Saturday in national parks across the country to protest the recent firing of over 1,000 National Park Service employees by the Trump administration.
A group called Resistance Rangers, made up of around 700 off-duty rangers, organized events at many of the 433 national parks. They aimed to raise awareness about what they see as threats to public lands, particularly the impact of job cuts. By Saturday afternoon, protests were reported at at least 145 park sites, including popular destinations like Yosemite, the Grand Canyon, and Acadia.
In Yosemite, tensions were high. Employees displayed upside-down American flags as a form of protest at famous locations like Yosemite Falls and El Capitan. Other protests took place in both well-known parks and lesser-visited sites, including Effigy Mounds National Monument in Iowa.
Nick Graver, a graduate student who helped organize the demonstration in Joshua Tree National Park, expressed concerns beyond the firings. He highlighted issues like resource extraction on public lands and threats to national monuments, specifically a proposal that could limit the president’s ability to designate new monuments.
The National Park Service acknowledged the protests, stating it is working with organizers to ensure that people can exercise their rights safely while also protecting park resources.
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Demonstrations, Protests and Riots,National Parks, Monuments and Seashores,Layoffs and Job Reductions,Government Employees,National Park Service,Joshua Tree National Park (Calif),Yosemite National Park (Calif),Iowa,Grand Canyon National Park
