By Victoria White >> Enterprise-Record

CHICO >> In the crowd of protestors Saturday morning at the Fred Davis Municipal Center stood a dozen people in pink shirts.

In contrasting black, their shirts read “Re-Sisters” — a play on the word “resistor.” Leading the assembly of pink protestors was Leeanne Jensworld, the 68-year old woman who helped unite them.

Jenswold described the Re-Sisters as a group of women in neon pink shirts who attend political events to raise awareness. What started as a small support group for women against President Trump’s election grew into a larger, more action-based organization following his inauguration. They do “pop-up protests” for the issues that they think are the most “reprehensible.”

“It’s the energy we get when we gather together. It’s very uplifting; it lifts your heart and your soul to be around others with all the same purpose and goals,” said Jenswold.

This specific protest was organized by Indivisible Chico as a part of a nationwide call to action under the name of “No Kings / Take Back Our Flag.” There were an estimated 2,000 marches set to take place across all 50 states. Chico’s drew an estimated 4,000 protestors, perhaps even more.

“I’m absolutely thrilled that we had such a huge turn-out of all kinds of people,” said Laurel Yorks, a volunteer and organizer for the protest. “Based on other events we’ve had, I’d say it’s around 6,000 people.”

Hilary Locke — another one of the organizers of the protest, working with the organizations Indivisible Chico and Defenders of Democracy — said that the march was meant to counteract the military parade in Washington D.C. that was set to take place on the same day.

“I think people are here with good intentions. I think people are here to celebrate,” Locke said before going on to describe Trump’s recent decision to pause ICE raids on farms, hotels, and restaurants. “It’s those little victories that I think we can feel good about and celebrate.”

Mary Kay Benson, manager of the local group Butte County Shelter For All, was at the protest as a volunteer. One of her biggest motivators for coming to the protest was the news that in her home state of Minnesota, there was a believed to be politically motivated killing of state lawmakers.

“With all of this horrendous stuff going on, the one thing I can do is show up,” said Benson, who has been protesting for causes that she supports since the Vietnam War.

Benson said that as long as she can walk, she’ll continue to advocate for what she believes in. While she never expected to be protesting well into her 70s, she’ll continue to march as long as she feels she needs to.‘Big deal’

The protest was scheduled to begin at 10 a.m., but due to the size of the crowd that gathered early, the march began early. The route was a convenient three-block loop, which many walked multiple times.

Leaving the municipal center, they went down Fifth Street, then rounded City Plaza and went up Broadway. From there, they turned on to Second Street, wrapping around the municipal parking lot where the Chico Certified Farmers Market was underway, before turning back to the municipal center.

As the first wave of protesters rounded the corner of Fifth Street and crossed Main Street, they were greeted by a cacophony of car horns. Most were shows of support, with occupants rolling down their car windows and joining in chants before driving away as the light turned green.

There was the occasional call of support for Trump’s administration and policies, but those were largely diluted by the protestors.

Around 11 a.m., medical services were called due to a woman experiencing a medical emergency. Firefighters and EMTs arrived on scene but were ultimately not needed as the woman recovered with some minor assistance.

Nellie Coffy, 30, was motivated to attend the protest due to a series of emotions, ranging from anger to disgust, toward the Trump administration. She also noted that walking the streets of downtown Chico on such a sunny day was a better way to spend her afternoon than scrolling on her phone.

“This is amazing to see this many people out here in a small town,” Coffy said.

Teri Murphy, a 73-year-old from Washington D.C., stood out among the crowd of protestors due to her sign, which made reference to the fact that while she leaned more Republican when voting, even she was concerned about the Trump administration. When asked, she said she felt Trump’s actions toward immigrants, especially on those with green cards, was a “slippery slope” without due process.

Murphy said that her attendance at the protest was a “big deal” for her since she has her doubts about the impact of protests. She said that, in general, she was glad she showed up.

Suzanne Bresine-Hutton, 62, one of the many protestors who lined the streets, said that the crowd showcased that people aren’t alone in their concerns. She called the event a reminder that “decency” and “respect” are alive and well within this community.

Jo Jackson, 35, attended the protest because she felt that there was too much going on in the country that she didn’t agree with and felt that staying silent wouldn’t be effective in bringing about change.

“I think one person’s voice might not make that loud of a noise,” Jackson said, “but getting a whole crowd together might make some difference.”