Those driving past the Mount Vernon Public Square on any given Saturday afternoon may notice something unusual: a group of citizens, often Kenyon faculty members, holding signs with messages ranging from “Hands off my mother’s Medicaid” to “Department of Greed and Evil (DOGE).” On Saturday from 1-2 p.m., Mount Vernon’s weekly “Signs on the Square” will participate in a nationwide Hands Off! protest — joining over 750 events throughout the country scheduled on the same day to protest recent executive actions.

Signs on the Square — which often centers on a relevant political topic such as reproductive rights or public health — has been held every Saturday since November of 2016, barring a break during the pandemic. Frequent fliers from Kenyon faculty include Assistant Professor of Political Science and Asian Studies Michelle Mood, Professor of Political Science and International Studies Steve Van Holde and Professor of Biology Joan Slonczewski, who currently holds the event’s demonstrator permit.

This week, the usual protesters will partner with Hands Off!, a coalition of progressive groups including MoveOn and Indivisible, to join the nationwide protest. Together, attendees will display signs protesting recent executive actions targeting cancer research, reproductive healthcare and more. “This is a nationwide mobilization to stop the most brazen power grab in modern history,” the Hands Off! website reads. “Trump, Musk and their billionaire cronies are orchestrating an all-out assault on our government, our economy and our basic rights — enabled by Congress every step of the way. … If we don’t fight now, there won’t be anything left to save.”

Slonczewski encouraged those frustrated with recent events to show up, drawing parallels between America’s current political climate and periods of historical crisis. “Everyone, all Americans should attend,” they wrote. “Those of us old enough to recall history recognize that we are like the Weimar Republic, where the Nazis came into power and systematically destroyed government institutions.”
To participate, attendees can borrow a sign made by the event’s organizers or bring their own; however, homemade signs must be family friendly and should not mention individuals’ names — with one notable exception. “Avoid names on signs except [Elon] Musk — that is the one name encouraged. No one elected Musk,” Slonczewski said.

In conjunction with faculty efforts, Kenyon students are mobilizing to support the event. On Tuesday, Max Fishman ’26 emailed the student body on behalf of a group of trans students encouraging participation in Hands Off! “Let’s put our money where our mouths are and come together against threats to our lives and livelihoods!” Fishman wrote. Several students have volunteered to provide rides to the event, allowing for the transportation of over a dozen Kenyon attendees.

According to Slonczewski, recent participation in Signs on the Square has been high, with 36 protesters on March 22. In light of the potential for a large crowd on Saturday, they emphasized that the event would be civil and family friendly — even in the face of counter-protestors: “The event will be peaceful; [Signs on the Square] has a longstanding commitment to nonviolence and experience dealing with any opposition.”