People from both sides of Detroit River to hold joint protests against rise of authoritarianism under Trump

The co-organizer of a Canada-U.S. cross-border protest against the Trump administration in the United States says more than 1,000 people have committed so far to take part in the Saturday afternoon event.

Audrey Bourriaud is organizing the protest, called We the People Dissent, in partnership with a Canadian family member and others.

"Our two cities, Windsor and Detroit, they're like two lungs," said Bourriaud, who lives in Detroit.

"We want to show the White House that whatever is said, whatever threat, is out there against Canada, the people, both Canadian and American, are together and are rejecting the nonsense that is happening, either with tariffs or political threats of annexing Canada."

U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to make Canada the 51st state of the United States and has imposed tariffs on the country in violation of the Canada U.S. Mexico free trade agreement (CUSMA).  

Meanwhile, Trump has issued dozens of executive orders that are the subject of court challenges, many of which have been halted by judges; he has detained at least one lawful permanent resident for engaging in a protest, and he has refused entry to at least one foreign scientist who criticized him.

The core message of the Saturday event is to save democracy and protect freedom of speech, Bourriaud said.

Protesters to gather across the river from one another

"If this is taken away from us, then all the rest will follow," she said of free expression rights.

"We need to be all together, sending the same message that we do not want dictatorship, authoritarianism. We want democracy, and we're going to fight for democracy, and we're going to keep our democracy alive."

Canadian protesters will meet at 1 p.m. at the Great Canadian Flag at the foot of Ouellette Avenue.

Americans will meet across the river at Hart Plaza.

Those gathered at the Canadian flag will hear from a variety of speakers for approximately an hour, said Windsor activist Elaine Weeks, another co-organizer of the event and one of the scheduled speakers.

After that, people on both sides of the border will read a poem written by one of the organizers about the Ambassador Bridge and the concept of connection.

Protesters will also wave to one another across the river.

Organizers are encouraging those on the Canadian side to wear red and bring placards, Weeks said.

Part of the purpose of the event is to allow Canadians and Americans to show that they still support each other, even though things are happening to create division, she said.

It's also a way to address feelings of helplessness and powerlessness.

"Let's face it: we're losing sleep over the situation here," Weeks said.

"We don't like what's happening. We don't like feeling vulnerable and having, you know, a country that was normally our ally suddenly turn against us, so this is just a way to show that, hey, we're still here, we're still standing, and we're not going to be taken for granted."