CLEVELAND — Hundreds of community members joined the Resistance Rangers and the Cleveland Party for Socialism and Liberation in showing solidarity with workers at Cuyahoga Valley National Park Saturday
The rally joins a wave of protests taking place at national parks across the United States.
The rainy weather in northeast Ohio didn’t appear to dampen the energy of protestors who came together on Boston Mills Road. The demonstration comes roughly a month after several CVNP employees were hit by the Trump administration’s mass firings of federal workers. Still, protestors said workers’ livelihoods remain in limbo and are calling for the protection of public lands and those that keep watch of them.
Erich, who is a member of the Resistance Rangers movement, helped attendees writing postcards addressed to the Department of Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, voicing their concerns.
“We're also just gathered here today to wave our flags, to wave our signs, to let folks know that there's people who are concerned about the National Park Service and our public lands,” said Eric, who has asked to be identified by only his first name due to privacy concerns.
These federal cuts are having an affect on Americans across the board, Eric said.
“National parks are actually the most favored agency in the entire United States, whether you're a Republican or a Democrat,” he said. “So I think that this isn't a partizan issue.”
Around 1,000 National Park Service workers were fired last month as part of the Trump administration’s recent mass firings of federal workers. As of last week, two U.S. District judges have temporarily blocked the president’s attempt to slash federal agencies. Still, many protestors said they aren’t convinced all workers will be reinstated.
“This administration is still continuing to attack workers and continuing to attack the parks and is cutting funding,” said Carly Riggins, who is an organizer for the Party for Socialism and Liberation.
The White House said these cuts are part of Trump’s “Department of Government Efficiency Workforce” Optimization Initiative.
In the statement, Trump wrote he is aiming to “restore accountability to the American public” by “eliminating waste, bloat and insularity.”
The National Parks Conservation Association reports that staffing has gone done by 16% while visitations have increased by 17%.
Riggins said additional cuts could be detrimental to the park’s prosperity.
“That means less park upkeep, less of the staffing of centers here,” Riggins said. “Less people to make sure that people who visit the parks are safe and less people who are able to actually protect that environment here and do the work necessary.”
