Why over 80 people protested along Macon and Wynnton roads in Columbus
Over 80 people stood along Macon and Wynnton roads Thursday, protesting against Trump administration policies while carrying signs and American flags in honor of the late civil rights activist and U.S. Congressman John Lewis of Georgia.
Columbus GA Indivisible conducted the demonstration for the National John Lewis Day of Action - “Good Trouble Lives On.” The event was a nationwide day of peaceful, nonviolent action to honor the legacy of Lewis, who died July 17, 2020.
Participants gathered in groups of 15 people or fewer at about eight sites stretching along Macon and Wynnton roads. The groups were kept small to prevent the need to acquire a permit, organizers told the Ledger-Enquirer.
Those who wanted to participate checked in at the parking lot behind the Columbus Public Library and were assigned a location where they could demonstrate. A total of 82 people participated, Laura Irvin, a member of the Columbus Indivisible leadership board, told the Ledger-Enquirer
One group counted the number of car honks in support and estimated their site received about 115 honks, she said.
The demonstration also was about supporting neighbors and showing residents that activists are working in Columbus, Irvin said.
“We understand that your Medicaid is getting cut,” Irvin said. “We understand that you’re having trouble getting your Social Security. We know that some folks are scared to go to their jobs. We know that folks are going to have trouble getting their kids the services they need in school for their 504 or their IEPs.”
Rebecca Thompson, a 20-year resident of Columbus, participated in the demonstration because it was important to her to honor Lewis and to stand up and speak out for what they believe in, she said.
She worries the country is sliding back to the Jim Crow era and what that might mean for everyone’s right to vote.
“Our right to vote has not been this challenged in my lifetime,” Thompson told the Ledger-Enquirer.
Eve Cork, a retired teacher and Columbus resident, decided to participate in the “Good Trouble” event because she worries about the values of the country.
Cork recalled taking eighth-graders to Washington, D.C., to see all the major monuments when she was a teacher in Indiana.
“It makes me cry thinking about,” she told the Ledger-Enquirer. “But I was so proud of my country. We’re not perfect, but we’re always trying to get better. I think we gave up on that. We need to go back to that.”
Other demonstrators held signs calling for President Donald Trump to be impeached, criticizing the pullback of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives and pushing back against the White House’s immigration policies and the actions of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement or ICE.
About Indivisible
Indivisible is a grassroots organization that started from a Google doc in 2016, Irvin said, and it has chapters across the state. It’s a resource for people who are looking to get involved in political issues, she said.
“We really focus on local action, community support and engaging folks who might feel a little helpless right now,” Irvin said.
Indivisible has hosted about three events in the last six months, she said, including a No Kings demonstration.
“All of our events have been nonviolent,” Irvin said. “All of our events have been focused on the issues and taking action.”
The group will turn its attention to focusing on the Columbus Council elections, mayoral race and congressional elections, she said.
This story was originally published July 18, 2025 at 12:35 PM.
