Mike Moen, reporter/producer, Minnesota News Connection, a bureau of Public News Service.
From the Southland to Minnesota to Washington, D.C., marches will take place this weekend as President-elect Donald Trump nears the start of his second term.
An organization specializing in building peace around the globe will have a presence. Nonviolent Peaceforce, which has a location in Minnesota, was invited by organizers of the People’s March to ensure demonstrators feel safe as they express their views.
Violence reduction tactics planned
Anna Zaros, director of organizational advancement for the group, said they take a nonpartisan approach to helping out. She considers Saturday’s march a “low-risk” event but added they will be on the spot to carry out de-escalation tactics if needed.
“What we do is really about leaning into the humanity of other people,” Zaros explained. “People often escalate because they’re not being heard and because they feel vulnerable. So, if we can reach out to that person proactively, if we see tension rising and listen to them, kind of divert the attention.”
Zaros noted they will also escort attendees as they depart if they’re worried about personal safety or if they encounter any threats. In 2017, before Trump’s first inauguration, the event was called the Women’s March. Now, it has been rebranded as progressives worry about actions like mass deportations. Companion rallies are scheduled across the U.S.
Setting a peaceful tone critical to success
Zaros stressed that preparation is key to setting a peaceful tone, noting that they have trained roughly 200 volunteers in recent weeks. She acknowledged in today’s political climate, it can be tricky to encourage tolerance as a lot of people have strong feelings about where we are as a country, but she insisted it is still worth it, even if it feels out of reach.
“Sometimes, the work of nonviolence can feel like, ‘No, this isn’t what we need. Our problems are too big.’ But that is exactly when we do need nonviolence because when we see these fissures in our ability to relate to other human beings,” Zaros emphasized. “Nonviolence at its core is about being able to see that person for who they are.”
She added building tolerance usually takes longer when teaching it to people surrounded by conflict. The weekend assistance will not foster deep political discussions if tension arises but rather, those “on-the-spot” efforts to lower the temperature. Saturday’s marches in Washington, D.C., are scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. ET with local events happening at different start times.
