A new chapter of Indivisible has formed in north Clark County, an area known for its political conservatism, after an unexpectedly large turnout at October’s “No Kings” protest in Battle Ground.
Indivisible, with its hundreds of chapters throughout the U.S., has spearheaded anti-Trump protests nationwide. The North Clark County chapter officially began meeting in early December. Its leadership and volunteers include those who participated in the "No Kings" demonstration on Saturday, Oct. 18, which attracted over 400 attendees to the junction of state Routes 502 and 503. The rally was part of a nationwide day of action that saw more than 2,700 demonstrations across the country. October marked the first time the event had been held in Battle Ground.
Laura Flanagan, a co-lead of the new chapter who organized October’s demonstration, said the size and energy of the crowd made it clear that people were looking for a next step.
“I suggested starting an indivisible group after the No Kings protest,” she said. “Because we had such an overwhelming response to that, we had so many people, and I had several people ask me, ‘what’s next? What are we doing? What are we gonna be doing next?’ that I felt that it was on me to use that momentum that was started on that day to keep the momentum going,” she said.
Gary Obermeyer, the chapter’s communications lead, said the October rally was the clear catalyst.
“Yes, that was the trigger,” he said. “That’s what caused it. It became very clear to us there’s a lot of interest here in North Clark County to get together to push back against the trend toward autocracy.”
Flanagan said the new chapter aims to give structure to that momentum and translate it into sustained local action. The group is part of a larger national network of locally-led Indivisible chapters, but members in each community set priorities according to Flanagan.
In the short term, the group is focused on organizing safely in what members describe as a politically conservative area. Meetings are currently held monthly, with attendance growing from about two dozen people at the first meeting to nearly 50 at a recent informal gathering. Leaders say visibility will increase gradually as the group builds infrastructure and trust.
One of the chapter’s most immediate local priorities is supporting the Battle Ground Public Schools levy, which is expected to go before voters in February. Members plan to assist with canvassing, public outreach and other efforts to encourage a yes vote.
“We’re strongly advocating for the Battle Ground levy, which cannot fail,” Flanagan said. “We can’t have another failed levy in Battle Ground. People will lose their jobs, it will impact children’s education, and so we are going to be the boots on the ground in north Clark County.”
Flanagan said community members who attended the recent meetings consider education a vital local concern, especially in the context of what members perceive as wider national threats to public schools and democratic institutions. Flanagan expressed concern over what she referred to as the Washington state Republican Party’s role, noting that flyers had been circulated earlier this year encouraging residents to vote against the levy. February marks the district’s third attempt to pass the levy. In addition to working on the levy, the chapter is also organizing future protests, community events and quick-response actions related to issues such as voter rights and immigration enforcement.
The group is also preparing to use whistles as a way to alert migrants and others who may be targeted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) when agents are present in the area. Members plan to undergo whistle training that outlines specific protocols for how and when to use the whistles to quickly form a visible crowd and draw attention to ICE detentions.
Flanagan emphasized that the group is committed to nonviolence and to being a resource for neighbors who may feel isolated or hesitant to speak out.
“We want to maintain relationships with our neighbors, with our coworkers, with businesses,” Flanagan said. “We want to be neighborly, and we want to make sure people feel safe and not alone.”
Readers can visit groups.indivisible.org to learn more about the local chapter.
