Katie Sullivan felt hopeless after the 2024 election, believing that “hate had won.”
But this year, the 48-year-old Minneapolitan is still fighting back, joining more than 100 Minnesotans on Saturday gathered for the Handmaids’ National Day of Action.
Dozens of protesters assembled for the rally, wearing red cloaks and white cowls while speaking from the Capitol steps in St. Paul.
A wintry breeze carried the handmaidens’ voices as they chanted “shame” in response to federal policies affecting immigration and disability rights. Protesters from Farmington and elsewhere cheered in support, waving signs that read “#Resist,” “Detox from Fox” and “Fight like a mother.”
The gathering comes as a growing number of people have mobilized to protest President Donald Trump’s administrative policies, including tens of thousands who packed Minneapolis for this October’s international “No Kings” rally.
Minnesota Republican Party Chairman Alex Plechash said his party supports residents’ right to peaceful protest, but claimed that Saturday’s rally was for show.
“The so-called ‘Handmaids’ movement is built on fear and political theater, not facts,” Plechash said, adding that the GOP is focused on affordability, improving schools, and helping law enforcement. “While Democrats and their allies stage costume protests, Minnesotans are struggling with higher taxes, a growing deficit and a government plagued by waste, fraud, and mismanagement. We’ll stay focused on solutions — not stunts — to get our state back on track.”
Kristy Rhoades, 44, of Farmington, was one of the protesters at Saturday’s event.
