About 100 people showed up at the intersection of 236th Street Southwest and 56th Avenue West Thursday for a peaceful May Day demonstration protesting the Trump administration.

One of those demonstrators, Sarah J., said that the protesters mainly received positive responses from drivers with a few middle fingers here and there. (All of those interviewed declined to have their last names used in this article.)

“There’s a great sense of community,” Sarah said.

Residents Steve and Alena said they are pessimistic about the coming years and the forecasted recession brought on by Trump’s tariffs, triggered by his misunderstanding of how trade deficits work.

Although there are lesser inconveniences, such as Steve not being able to buy his favorite bacon from Canada (not to be confused with Canadian bacon), those protesting on Thursday said there are larger problems — including the rollback of DEI measures and ADA guidelines and the beginning of self-censorship by politicians and their constituents.

“I think people are afraid to speak,” Alena said.

Alena is vision-impaired and a special education teacher. Like other Americans, she and Steve have considered – or are actively in the process of – leaving the U.S.. But there’s one thing here that Alena said she cannot give up: her students.

“I can’t leave my kids,” Alena said. “What would that say to them, do to them?”

Steve and Alena also say they fear a brain drain, when a highly educated workforce, such as doctors and teachers, leaves the country. This issue is prevalent in Sub-Saharan Africa, the Caribbean and Southeastern Europe.

“The sciences are going to get hit first,” Steve said.

As the ending time of 7 p.m. approached, the demonstration and the traffic started to thin, but a few stragglers still came to voice their concerns, hopes and frustrations. However, Mountlake Terrace was not the only city protesting the Trump administration, as May Day demonstrations were held across the U.S. and worldwide.