Protesters attend a “March Forth” rally at the Michigan Capitol in Lansing, Mich., on March 4, 2025. Several attendees brought Ukraine flags, wore the country’s colors and carried signs of support for the country after an Oval Office shouting match between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last week. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)
Ukraine took center stage during the latest protest at the Michigan State Capitol Tuesday, less than a week after a meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy ended in an Oval Office shouting match.
Dozens of Ukrainian flags and signs of support in the country’s blue and yellow could be seen throughout the crowd, a noticeable shift from other recent protests that have largely lacked a single unifying theme.
One particularly large Ukrainian flag was unfurled in front of the Capitol by Catie Miglietti.
She said that withdrawing military aid from Ukraine, as Trump announced yesterday the U.S. would do, is “the act of traitors.”
“We’re willing to defend countries like Israel against murder, rape, genocide, but we’re just going to leave Ukraine out to hang out to dry,” Miglietti said.
Kate Globensky said that the way Zelenskyy was treated during his visit to The White House was “an abomination” and said she was so frustrated that she was physically shaking.
During the Oval Office meeting last week, Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance berated Zelesnky, accusing him of “gambling with World War Three.”
“He threatened Zelenskyy for World War Three … but it’s him that could potentially cause it,” Globensky said.
She called for a “counter coup” against Trump, Vance, House Speaker Mike Johnson and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, warning that “our republic will fall” otherwise.
Marti Bombyk said that watching the Oval Office meeting energized people who have been “silently rooting for Ukraine” to show up and speak out.
Bombyk said that her father is a Ukrainian born in Detroit who served 30 years in the U.S. Air Force.
“I know what evil Russia and the Soviet Union are capable of,” Bombyk said. “It’s really important for people to not have any illusions about Putin and his capacity to use Trump as a useful idiot, and how dangerous it is for people to go along instead of standing up.”
“This is about aligning ourselves squarely with the free world,” Bombyk said. “Because right now, our national government is aligning itself with rogue states.”
Protesters attend a “March Forth” rally at the Michigan Capitol in Lansing, Mich., on March 4, 2025. Several attendees brought Ukraine flags, wore the country’s colors and carried signs of support for the country after an Oval Office shouting match between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last week. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)
Protesters attend a “March Forth” rally at the Michigan Capitol in Lansing, Mich., on March 4, 2025. Several attendees brought Ukraine flags, wore the country’s colors and carried signs of support for the country after an Oval Office shouting match between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last week. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)
Protesters attend a “March Forth” rally at the Michigan Capitol in Lansing, Mich., on March 4, 2025. Several attendees brought Ukraine flags, wore the country’s colors and carried signs of support for the country after an Oval Office shouting match between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last week. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)
Protesters attend a “March Forth” rally at the Michigan Capitol in Lansing, Mich., on March 4, 2025. Several attendees brought Ukraine flags, wore the country’s colors and carried signs of support for the country after an Oval Office shouting match between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last week. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)
Protesters attend a “March Forth” rally at the Michigan Capitol in Lansing, Mich., on March 4, 2025. Several attendees brought Ukraine flags, wore the country’s colors and carried signs of support for the country after an Oval Office shouting match between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last week. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)
Protesters attend a “March Forth” rally at the Michigan Capitol in Lansing, Mich., on March 4, 2025. Several attendees brought Ukraine flags, wore the country’s colors and carried signs of support for the country after an Oval Office shouting match between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last week. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)
Protesters attend a “March Forth” rally at the Michigan Capitol in Lansing, Mich., on March 4, 2025. Several attendees brought Ukraine flags, wore the country’s colors and carried signs of support for the country after an Oval Office shouting match between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last week. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)
Protesters attend a “March Forth” rally at the Michigan Capitol in Lansing, Mich., on March 4, 2025. Several attendees brought Ukraine flags, wore the country’s colors and carried signs of support for the country after an Oval Office shouting match between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last week. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)
Protesters attend a “March Forth” rally at the Michigan Capitol in Lansing, Mich., on March 4, 2025. Several attendees brought Ukraine flags, wore the country’s colors and carried signs of support for the country after an Oval Office shouting match between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last week. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)
Protesters attend a “March Forth” rally at the Michigan Capitol in Lansing, Mich., on March 4, 2025. Several attendees brought Ukraine flags, wore the country’s colors and carried signs of support for the country after an Oval Office shouting match between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last week. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)
Protesters attend a “March Forth” rally at the Michigan Capitol in Lansing, Mich., on March 4, 2025. Several attendees brought Ukraine flags, wore the country’s colors and carried signs of support for the country after an Oval Office shouting match between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last week. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)
Protesters attend a “March Forth” rally at the Michigan Capitol in Lansing, Mich., on March 4, 2025. Several attendees brought Ukraine flags, wore the country’s colors and carried signs of support for the country after an Oval Office shouting match between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last week. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)
Protesters attend a “March Forth” rally at the Michigan Capitol in Lansing, Mich., on March 4, 2025. Several attendees brought Ukraine flags, wore the country’s colors and carried signs of support for the country after an Oval Office shouting match between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last week. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)
Protesters attend a “March Forth” rally at the Michigan Capitol in Lansing, Mich., on March 4, 2025. Several attendees brought Ukraine flags, wore the country’s colors and carried signs of support for the country after an Oval Office shouting match between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last week. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)
Protesters attend a “March Forth” rally at the Michigan Capitol in Lansing, Mich., on March 4, 2025. Several attendees brought Ukraine flags, wore the country’s colors and carried signs of support for the country after an Oval Office shouting match between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last week. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)
Protesters attend a “March Forth” rally at the Michigan Capitol in Lansing, Mich., on March 4, 2025. Several attendees brought Ukraine flags, wore the country’s colors and carried signs of support for the country after an Oval Office shouting match between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last week. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)
Protesters attend a “March Forth” rally at the Michigan Capitol in Lansing, Mich., on March 4, 2025. Several attendees brought Ukraine flags, wore the country’s colors and carried signs of support for the country after an Oval Office shouting match between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last week. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)
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