Gene Robertson has never been an activist before, but the longtime Mercer Island resident feels this is a crucial time to take her concerns about the United States government to a street corner in her town.

Joined by her husband, John Rieke, they’ve led the charge by gathering a group of citizens to engage in peaceful protests against what she calls the illegal dismantling of the government at the hands of President Donald Trump and billionaire businessman Elon Musk.

“Ever since Trump was elected, but especially ever since Musk started taking the chainsaw to the federal government, I was just kind of gobsmacked and beside myself and just like wondering, what was my role to play in this and what could I do?” said Robertson, who has lived on Mercer Island with her husband for 35 years.

After listening to a national radio show that featured the topic of small-town protests with people uniting and sharing their feelings with like-minded others, Robertson was inspired to start one of her own.

The small but expanding group of Island protesters can be found waving signs from 4 to 4:30 p.m. Sundays at the intersection of Southeast 40th Street and Island Crest Way. They previously protested for a half hour on Wednesday evenings, too, but have trimmed down their activism to one day a week.

Some of the signs are emblazoned with the slogans, “Resist MAGA,” “Save Democracy,” “Resist Persist Repeat” and “Tell Elon Stop Looting America.”

Robertson and her crew began protesting on March 16 and have carried on since then. They began their crusade with six to eight people on day one and have grown their group to about 40-50 on a recent Sunday. The majority of people reside on the Island, with some locals bringing friends to these word-of-mouth protests.

“My goal was to show people they were not alone. And I feel like we’re doing that, and this may be worth continuing,” Robertson said.

While assembling at the intersection, Robertson said that drivers and pedestrians have been enthusiastic to see the protesters, who have received copious honks, waves and thumbs up. Robertson finds herself continuously smiling while soaking up the positivity.

However, the protesters have received a few surly looks and thumbs down. Robertson said she was once flipped off by a disagreeing driver.

Judy Ginn, who has lived on the Island since 1972, explained her involvement in the local protests: “People everywhere are being hurt by cuts to funding and firings. Alone, I’m just one lonely voice. Together we are a louder voice. It feels more positive to be part of a group — and the support from those driving by is uplifting. It’s not enough, but it is something, and it says to others that they aren’t alone either.”

Another Island resident, Michelle Williams, talked about her journey toward the protesting realm: “I spend most of my free time and energy fighting climate change — that’s how I met Gene. But the speed and variety of BS coming from the current administration makes my head spin.”

Williams is another new protester who wanted to support Robertson’s effort and spend more time with her friend. Williams has been having a fun time attending the protests, and loves being greeted with positivity from passersby.

She added about the opposition: “I love smiling and waving when MAGAs flip us the bird or call us names.”

On April 5, Williams and several Islanders from the protest group took their local activism to the Seattle Center for the immense Hands Off! rally.

Along with attending that event, Robertson said she has participated in a pair of peaceful and gratifying Tesla takedown protests in Bellevue.

“Those have clearly had an impact on Elon Musk’s stock — the source of his power is his wealth. And if we can impact his wealth, we may diminish his power, which is important. I don’t want oligarchs running my country, especially ones that aren’t elected,” she said.

Mercer Island City Councilmember Craig Reynolds has been happy to participate in a few of the local protests and has some concerns about what’s transpiring in the federal government.

He delved into one thing that he’s troubled about: “My daughter’s a postdoc at Harvard doing public health research, funded by the NIH (National Institutes of Health). All of her grants have been pulled. From a personal perspective, I think that’s a tragedy for my family. From the country’s perspective, I think pulling out of medical research and public health research is bad.”

Robertson, who has worked in the science and medicine fields, has gained inspiration from writer, historian and activist Rebecca Solnit’s encouragement for citizens to call members of Congress, donate to Democratic institutions and hold a space for truth, justice and integrity.

A sign of the times. Andy Nystrom/staff photo

Protesters gather on Mercer Island. Andy Nystrom/ staff photo

A driver honks in favor of the protesters. Andy Nystrom/ staff photo