Protests against Kavanaugh draw in larger-than-expected protest numbers

WASHINGTON – The protest and march that occurred on Capitol Hill Thursday afternoon was expected but the scope and quickness of people flocking to Washington, D. C., was impressive.

The event went up on the Facebook page of Cancel Kavanaugh: Believe Survivors and a corresponding email was sent late Wednesday to supporters of the Women's March across the country. The number of people at the march and protest reflected just how fed up people have become with President Donald Trump.

On Facebook, roughly 1,300 people marked themselves down as going, while 5,600 people were “interested.” At the event, an organizer said she believed that there were about 3,500 people there – about 2,000 more than expected.

New York State Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal said, "We left around 6:45 from Manhattan, we got here around 11:45." Her dedication to protesting the potential confirmation was apparent as she continued, "We’re here ‘til five and we meet the bus at Union Station to go back."

Another woman, Dale Cohen, an architect from New York, came down with Rosenthal’s bus organization. “When Trump was elected it lit a fuse that went off like an atom bomb,” Cohen said. “The problem is, we’re almost two years later, and people are exhausted because of the destruction that goes on.”

Her sentiment was echoed by the chants yelled among the crowd, with the most popular one being “hey hey, ho ho, Kavanaugh has got to go” and “Kavanaugh’s not welcome here.”

A protester from Baltimore and retired art teacher, Theresa Reuter, said that she would “educate as many people as [she] can as to why he needs to be removed as soon as possible,” when confronted with the potential that Brett Kavanaugh could be confirmed on Friday to the U.S. Supreme Court.

People who didn’t support the point of view of those marching were attending the protest as well. One supporter of Trump was told to ‘shut up’ when he began to talk over the survivors who were speaking to the crowd. Another had his sign ripped into two pieces.

There were some supporters of Kavanaugh though, who were merely standing on the outskirts of the crowd, watching the protesters march on the Supreme Court and Capitol Hill.

Bradley Schieble, a junior from Mohawk Valley Community College in New York, was one of these observers.

“I am for the confirmation of Kavanaugh,” he said. When asked if he would protest Kavanaugh not being confirmed, he said, “It’s up to the Senators – that’s why we elect them. Obviously, they’re elected officials and if they feel that he shouldn’t be on the Supreme Court, they’ll vote that way.”

Rosenthal, though, had a completely different idea of what would happen if those who believed Christine Blasey Ford saw Kavanaugh get confirmed. “This country’s going to erupt and it’s a short time to the midterms, but I think it’s going to spell disaster for the Republicans in the midterms,” she said, before pausing and adding, “And hopefully, we’ll sweep the Senate and the House.”

Protesters stand outside the Supreme Court waiting for the organizers of the march and protest to speak. Many have signs or shirts which demonstrate their dissatisfaction with the current administration.