More than 200 East Texans took part in a protest Saturday at the corner of Rice and Shiloh roads in Tyler.

The demonstration was part of hundreds across the nation Saturday organized by Hands Off!, Indivisible, MoveOn and other organizations.

The protest targeted recent actions, by President Donald Trump and Elon Musk, which organizers believe threaten democracy and public trust.

“Democracy is nonpartisan,” said Tyler resident Nancy Nichols. “That is something that we as Americans believe in and that’s what this is about. This is about preserving our Constitution.”

The Tyler protest was an extension of a nationwide movement where more than 1,300 protests took place across 50 states throughout the day Saturday.

“This is our biggest movement so far,” said Kristen Hardin-Sigler, a Whitehouse resident who also organized an immigration-related protest in Tyler in February. “… People on both sides of the aisle are fed up at this point.”

Hardin-Sigler serves as the precinct chair for the Democratic Club of Smith County, Precinct 30, and is passionate about advocating for democratic values and social justice.

“We’re basically asking the government to get their hands off of our lives, their hands off of our schools and our kids’ education, their hands off of our bodies, their hands off of our immigrants, hands off Gaza for that matter,” she said. “All of these things are important to us.”

Robin Wright, organizer of the Tyler movement, made sure the protesters knew of the ground rules to maintain the peacefulness of the protest, including not engaging with people who drove by with jeers and hand gestures.

“Our message will not be heard if our headlines are overcrowded by disaster,” she told the crowd. “Our goal here today is to build a movement and opposition to the travesty we are facing as Americans. Staying organized and on topic will further this movement in the long run.”

More than 200 protesters gathered, holding signs expressing their disapproval on a range of issues, including federal cuts, the dismantling of the Department of Education, actions on National Parks, healthcare policies, and more.

About 120 gathered in Longview for a similar protest Saturday, according to the Longview News-Journal.