‘This piggy won’t be quiet’: The women who spent two nights on a bus to protest the president

November 24, 2025

Women from Ohio embarked on a grueling 36-hour bus journey to Washington D.C. to participate in a "Remove the Regime" protest opposing the Trump administration, making stops in Cincinnati, Columbus, and Cleveland to pick up passengers. The protesters, motivated by concerns about reproductive rights, LGBTQ+ protections, immigrant rights, and threats to social safety net programs, joined a three-day action that included rallying at the Lincoln Memorial dressed as Handmaids from the dystopian novel. The demonstration occurred during a particularly contentious week when Trump made derogatory comments toward a female reporter, prompting many protesters to incorporate pig-themed imagery into their signs and costumes.

Who is affected

Women protesters from Ohio (Cincinnati, Columbus, and Cleveland areas)
Families dependent on social safety net programs (Medicaid, SNAP, TANF, Veterans Affairs benefits, subsidized housing)
LGBTQ+ individuals, particularly transgender people
Immigrants
Women concerned about reproductive rights
Military veterans and their families
Disabled Americans
Children and older Americans who rely on SNAP benefits
Jessica Denson (former Trump campaign staffer and protest organizer)
Rep. Al Green and House candidate Kat Abughazaleh (speakers at the event)

What action is being taken

Women are traveling by bus from Ohio to Washington D.C. for protests
Protesters are participating in a three-day "Remove the Regime" action including lobbying, trainings, rallies, and marches
Activists are organizing through the 50501 grassroots movement (50 protests, 50 states, one movement)
Jen Mazzuckelli is attending county commissioner meetings as "a thorn in their side"
Women are dressing as Handmaids from "The Handmaid's Tale" at demonstrations
A group is building a Handmaid "army" in rural and exurban southern Ohio
Protesters are creating signs and costumes referencing Trump's "Quiet, piggy" comment to a reporter

Why it matters

This protest represents a significant grassroots resistance movement primarily composed of women who are directly impacted by Trump administration policies. The participants' personal stakes—relying on disability benefits, veteran assistance, SNAP, subsidized housing, and other social safety net programs—demonstrate how policy changes affect real families struggling to meet basic needs. The mobilization is particularly significant because it's drawing both seasoned protesters (like Routhier at her 72nd protest) and first-time activists (like Ragsdale), indicating growing momentum. The movement matters because it's attempting to organize in conservative, rural areas of swing states like Ohio, potentially building political infrastructure in regions typically dominated by Republicans. Additionally, the protest highlights intersecting concerns about women's rights, LGBTQ+ protections, immigrant rights, and economic justice, showing how these issues mobilize diverse coalitions.

What's next

Routhier has already planned her 73rd protest
Ragsdale is considering making a video about assembling reusable protest signs
Mazzuckelli wants to pursue "deep organizing" in rural, conservative areas of Ohio, potentially working with the Working Families Party
Mazzuckelli plans to "get a committed group here in Clermont [County] and start pushing eastward"
A group continues building a Handmaid "army" in rural and exurban southern Ohio
Mazzuckelli is weighing another run for office after an unsuccessful bid for county commissioner

Read full article from source: The 19th