Thousands Gather to Protest “Hands Off” in Lansing Mi, Against Current Administration Tactics
Part of a National Day of Protest, Michigan's State Capital estimated 10,000-12,000 concerned citizens on the lawn
〰️
Local Media Coverage Continues to Deflate Numbers and Meaning behind Cause because their 🐔
〰️
Part of a National Day of Protest, Michigan's State Capital estimated 10,000-12,000 concerned citizens on the lawn 〰️ Local Media Coverage Continues to Deflate Numbers and Meaning behind Cause because their 🐔 〰️
April 07, 2025 | 12:00 PM - Local guerilla journalist and concerned citizen, Jacki Krumnow of Now News, attended the HANDS OFF collaboration protest in Lansing Mi with 10,000-12,000 other concerned citizens on April 5, 2025 between the hours of 12 - 5 pm (protest lasting until 4 PM) on the capital lawn. People of all ages attended the event en masse, as part of a national day of protest put on by the grass roots organization 50501, it is the fourth “national day” for activation since Trump has taken administration and by far the biggest turn out Lansing, Michigan has seen. Krumnow has attended all 4 days of note and reported on all of them via TikTok and IG:
March 04, 2025 - Written Article (Guerilla Journalism Declared)
The event goers might have ended up muddy due to all of the previous storms, but the feeling of community, joy, anger, dissent, fear, and folly was strong, and joined with an estimated 5 million across the nation. Reports of 30+ other protests, of varying size, also happened within the state of Michigan, from large locations like Detroit and Grand Rapids, to even smaller, “red dot” areas like Wyandotte, Kalamazoo, and Battle Creek.
Lansing had about 3 hours worth of speakers of all genders, representation, race, and abilities take to the stage to be greeted with cheers or jeers from the crowd. They had multiple ASL interpreters next to the speakers to help. One speaker of note that Krumnow and the crowd was particularly touched by was Gaia Herrick, a women who departed her wheelchair to climb the stairs of the non-ADA compliant capital and speak about disability acts and history. Another speaker was democrat elected Julie Brixie, the 73rd House District representative from Okemos, who unfortunately didn’t quite “read the room” and ended up getting booed of stage from what others told Krumnow. (Krumnow was working the crowd and only heard the speech and booing, and can not confirm nor deny with their own eyes if Brixie was in fact booed of stage.)
The crowd got a bit restless around 3:45 PM and split off into different sections to do their own march lead by a small band around the capital. Around 4:30 pm the organizers lead their march around the capital. Protesters also lined the sidewalk near the street and were greeted with multiple honks in support from drivers around the area passing. At that point some of the crowd had thinned out, but fours hours is a long period of time for a protest, and it is expected to have people filter in and out throughout the day.
Gaia Herrick, a women who departed her wheelchair to climb the stairs of the non-ADA compliant capital and speak about disability acts and history.
Crowd Size Estimation and Demographics 04/05/25 in Lansing, Mi
Krumnow had the ability to be at the top of the stairs of the capital as a “press/influencer” pass holder, and while up there conversed with other photo journalists and freelancers. While preparing her photo drop on Instagram around 12:50 PM, a reporter who was filming on his phone stated that this was the biggest turn out he’s seen while attending previous events in his tenure, at that time it was estimated to have about 7,000 people. Krumnow went on to film an update at the top of the stairs after hearing the estimated number from the other reporter, and within the 20-30 minutes it took her to film, try to toss on captions, and upload to IG and Tiktok, she then heard from other, more seasoned reporters that the number on the lawn had grown by another 2,000 people with an estimated 10,000 individuals around 1 - 1:15 PM.
These numbers were based on these freelance reporters covering the events previously and telling Krumnow that they base the scale of individuals on the Women’s March back in 2017, where the estimated number was between 7,000-9,000 individuals depending on your preferred “source.” Based off of their previous experience and looking at the crowd, multiple seasoned reporters stated that number could be close to 10,000 at that time. What’s important to note about these longer events then too is that people filter in and out all throughout the day, so the true number could only be possibly projected if somebody were able to pull mobile data from the area, but even that can be iffy as many protesters may be turning off their device while attending.
There were no helicopters there covering the news, unlike the one on February 5, 2025, which had multiple helicopters travel over head. One photo was taken from an office window, but the time of the shot seen below can not be confirmed by Krumnow who was provided the shot.
The crowd did skew older, with many faces looking to be gen x and baby boomers, followed in a close second by millennials, and gen Z trailing behind. Parents brought their young children to the event too, along with a spattering of good doggos behaving well.
The majority of the crowd was white, but more minorities are beginning to come out and attend these events. Krumnow respects the 92% movement and understand their period of rest, and is merely reporting what she saw.
Near the front of the of the lawn, chairs were reserved for the elderly and those that would need to sit during the event. Other elders brought their own camping chairs and sat further back in the crowd for the duration of the event. Smart guys honestly. Krumnow saw individuals with canes, in wheel chairs, prosthetic limbs making their way out to the event as well too.
The spattering of creativity was wild as well too, Krumnow got to speak to some of the protesters in wild outfits, Satan themself showed up. A weed wolf furry was there interviewing people like Krumnow. Handmaidens, inflatable baby trumps, Rosie the Riveters, plague doctors, and even a little “grave” were in attendance. Many individuals wore masks, others did not. Krumnow still suggests that when people organize en masse, they should wear a mask, for multiple reasons, health being one of them, so that individuals who are health impaired can also attend these events.
Local Media Coverage & Representation on 04/05/25 in Lansing, Mi
Krumnow saw many more media reps throughout the event this time around, but has also seen multiple “real” journalists try to down play the numbers by stating things like “100s maybe thousands” (looking at you WILX, who have since gone and changed their verbiage on the FB post and WRITTEN article since Krumnow called them out on Facebook. But they can’t change the video upload! If you watch that on their WEBSITE, you can hear the reporter state the original phrase of “100s, maybe thousands” in the published video, cowards.) They also then paired their article and video with an interview with Sen. Jim Runestad (R), White Lake, making sure that they still pepper in some “good press” for the president and MAGA crowd while reporting on the protests that are literally trying to stop our democracy from falling. I’ll say it again. COWARDS. With my whole damn chest.
The Lansing State Journal finally had a DIFFERENT reporter write up the article about April 5th, I’m unsure if Rachel Greco was actually in attendance though, as all photography is attributed to a different source who HAS been at the protests multiple times, Robert Killips. Greco’s article does at least state “thousands” and has interviews with multiple individuals who attended, mentioned that it is part of a nationwide protest, and stated it was one of 55 planned in the state. She did clearly get “part of an effort by more than 200 grassroots organizations nationwide, including 55 in Michigan” incorrect in her article even though it was back linked. Hands off and 50501 have come forward to say more than 1,200 protests took place across the nation on April, 5, 2025. At the TAIL end of her article, she then states: “About 1,000 protests or marches have been planned across all 50 states this weekend, "Hands Off!" organizers said.” Which is it then Rachel? 200 or only 1,000? Seems odd you put the larger number at the end of the article, cool cool cool. At least this article wasn’t peppered with any good press for MAGA and Trump. Some more integrity than WILX.
And at this point I’m just CACKLING, (I’m not event stating my news at KRUMNOW, it’s just me, blatantly rage writing, reminder, totally a real reporter) because the STATE NEWS, written and published by student journalists, right? Did a FAR superior job at reporting the news of the event on April 5, 2025 in Lansing Mi. A well written article, with beautiful photos, cited sources and a vary of interviews for “sound bites” and quotes on individuals attending. A breakdown on the speakers, who they were, what they represented and so much more. WOW. Am I proud to read and see that article. Good job Somer Sodeman, putting that MSU education and “aspiring journalist” to good work. Doing an INCREDIBLE job with her article. You go girl, you’re gonna make it much further than any of these so called journalists already with jobs and fear of the dictatorship impending on them. Only a junior right now too, based on her online portfolio. Hell yeah.
CBS Detroit News wrote a foot note of an article that features a photo of Lansing, but more about Detroit and the national protest. They seem better in the video, I like that a bit more.
Local station WLNS channel 6 published an article and gave 11 seconds worth of video footage (we THINK) on the news. The two authors of the article may not be the best resources though, as of the writing of this article, she spotted that one of the 50501 MI organizers who we’re interviewed in the published article has his last name absolutely butchered. I mean how hard is it to write down a person’s name or have them spell it out for you at the beginning of a camera interview, which is best practices in the industry. Shouldn’t be too hard to, also, I don’t know look up the individual online when they also tell you their a local business owner and provide those details? Are they even trying?
Colton HUGHES, having his name misspelled in written article by WLNS channel 6.
Krumnow has met Michigan Advanced at previous protests, and they are an independent online publication, that usually does a bang up job representing what is actually happening at these events, where local media does not. I like it, it seems to be NOW News approved for now. Good job Michigan Advance. Good job Andrew Roth, we met at the last protest. Love to see what you’re doing. Keep up the good fight.
Currently, google provides no other results for local media coverage of the Lansing, Mi April 5, 2025 protests. Nothing from City Pulse or Fox 47. We love to see it.
Follow Krumnow for more updates, interviews, photos and videos IRT
As always you can see all of Krumnow’s photos, footage, and more, on her public IG and Facebook.
Links are in the footer of the website.
She’s too tuckered to link after writing this GIANT article today.
Woof.
ABOUT NOW NEWS & JACKI KRUMNOW: As of March 04, 2025, local Lansing influencer and concerned citizen, Jacki Krumnow, stepped up to begin covering local news that was not getting deserved media coverage. Krumnow is utilizing her voice & platforms while she still can to distribute local and nationally relevant news that is collected via guerrilla journalism tactics, and distributing the content known as NOW NEWS.
She will try to remain timely and write articles when she can, but you can trust her STORIES and IG Profile to keep you up to date on everything NOW NEWS from protests and political satire, to the occasional marketing trends and updates, and local happenings in Lansing, and yes, more than just humanitarian events. Krumnow spearheads herself now as guerrilla journalist, gathering details, research, and knowledge of news by they people and for the people. She endorses nothing. She encourages readers to be well informed and continue their own research on topics, events, organizations that they find of interest.
You are welcome to follow her for more local & national Now News, but she retains the rights to not accept follow for follow or friend requests, and block individuals who may threaten her safety online or in person. Reporting the news can be a dangerous game.
Be forewarned though, Krumnow can be a bit of a mischief maker online and in person. She is not everyone’s cup of tea.
