The sight of demonstrators on highway overpasses became a common scene in cities across the state on Friday. These “bridge takeovers” were a form of protest against recent policy shifts enacted by the Trump administration along with Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency.
Among the protesters at the M-14 overpass on Nixon Road in Ann Arbor was Karen Hart. Her concerns revolved around the dismantling of essential federal services by President Donald Trump and Elon Musk. “And I have a young adult child who is going to be left with a world in shambles and that’s not right,” Hart expressed.
Mary Ferguson, another protester, voiced her disapproval of Trump’s foreign policy decisions, such as his support for Russian President Vladimir Putin and a trade war with Canada. “I have family in Canada and I am absolutely ashamed for my country,” Ferguson stated. “Canadians are the kindest, nicest people. They fought with us in Afghanistan, they fought with us in Iraq. When 9/11 happened, airplanes were diverted to Halifax, and people took Americans into their homes. When you piss off a Canadian, you know you’ve really stepped in it,” she added.
Protests are expected to continue through the weekend, according to organizers. Concurrently, a significant protest occurred at the Ann Arbor Tesla dealership on Jackson Road, where hundreds gathered. This comes amid falling Tesla stock prices and sales, attributed to CEO Elon Musk’s actions as head of the Department of Government Efficiency, where he has laid off thousands of federal workers. These layoffs are currently facing legal challenges in federal courts.
Musk recently commented on federal expenditures during a Fox News segment, stating, “Most of the federal spending is entitlements. So that’s the big one to eliminate.”
—
Read More Michigan News
