Small but active Kings County contingent joins Saturday's 'March for Science'

Thousands of peaceful protestors hit the streets in Washington D.C., Boston, Los Angeles, Portland, San Francisco, New York, Chicago – and in European and other world capitals.

Local organizer Claire Fitiausi and daughter Grace joined the march on Saturdy.

Protestors also marched in Kings County - but not in quite the numbers as Washington D.C.

A small but dedicated group of protestors – about 15 of them – commandeered spots on the corners at a busy Lacey Boulevard and 12th Avenue in Hanford at about 2 p.m. to vent their frustrations at the president’s threats to cut back funding for science, including an 18 percent cut to the National Institute of Health, an agency that funds much of the disease research at universities and hospitals.

The Environmental Protection agency, responsible for clean air and water – according to Trump’s budget – will face a 31 percent cut.

These cuts had the Hanford protestors rankled. “Science is important,” said Claire Fitiausi, the local organizer for the Hanford March for Science. “The Trump administration is acting like it’s not important, and I think there are a lot of people in the community who might not agree with what’s happening in our government … so I’m standing here and showing my sign so people say oh there’s somebody else in my community who feels the way I do.”

Fitiausi is a member of Kings County Indivisible organization, a progressive movement created in 2016 to resist President Trump’s agenda in a peaceful way.

This past week offered several protests, including a pair of events at Congressman David Valadao’s downtown office where members of the Jimmy Carter Democratic Club picketed his office asking that he help keep President Trump accountable.

Valadao wasn’t there on Tuesday (April 19). According to a spokesperson, he was visiting constituents in his district. He wasn’t there either on Wednesday (April 20) when members of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) held a press conference. The SEIU also sponsored an “Accountability Walk” on Saturday, April 22 at 9 a.m. The walk was designed to send a message to Valadao.