In Northampton about 800 people attended an outdoor rally to protest Trump's policies, an organizer told the Valley Post. The goal was to resist fascism. “If you’re tired of the barrage of news and want to do something, you’re not alone! We strive to mobilize, and more events are coming!” according to the organizers' web page:

www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61572916231647#

The rally was on March 9. A photo is at:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=122117806232763874&set=pb.615729...

**********

On March 21, Priscilla Lynch told the Valley Post that she and four other people were arrested for nonviolent civil disobedience in Northampton on March 13. They were calling for world peace. Details are at the protesters' web page:

www.instagram.com/DemilitarizeWesternMass

According to that web page, “We... are occupying L3Harris to demand that all L3 plants immediately stop providing any and all weapons and weapons services to the Israeli Defense Forces because these products are being used to conduct a genocide against the Palestinian people and because, by providing these products to Israel, L3 is in gross violation of the U.S. Leahy Law and other provisions of U.S. law intended to prevent U.S. weapons to be used violate human rights abroad.”

**********

About 300 farmers and their supporters rallied in the Pioneer Valley town of Hadley on March 23. The rally was to protest Trump's recent USDA funding cuts. “Restore funding for our small farms; keep our rural farm support offices open,” said Kerry Taylor, one of the organizers, in her speech to the crowd. Taylor farms with her husband Max Taylor at Brookfield Farm in Amherst, which produces mixed vegetables and livestock on 120 acres. Congressman Jim McGovern spoke at the rally. The organizers have a web site at www.BuyLocalFood.org.

*********

On April 5 there will be marches in Brattleboro, the Pioneer Valley, and Keene to protest Trump. Details are at: https://HandsOff2025.com.

*********

On March 20 about 60 workers at Brattleboro Memorial hospital (BMH) formed a union. Krystal Palmisano, a certified medical assistant at Brattleboro Family Medicine and a union organizing committee member, said, “We have a voice and we want to be a part of the decisions that impact us, and the care we provide our patients. We give everything we’ve got, day in and day out, and yet many of us struggle to make ends meet, or face the stress of growing workloads while being short-staffed. We look forward to working with BMH management to strengthen our community hospital by tackling issues of recruitment and retention, and building a culture of consistency, transparency and trust.”

John Gibbs is an orthopedics certified medical assistant at the hospital, and an organizing committee member. He said, “This is a big win for the clinical and support staff here at BMH. The security that our union provides allows us to breathe a little easier in these uncertain times, and focus our efforts on providing the excellent care that our community has come to expect from this hospital. We look forward to working with our hospital administration to meet the unique and complex challenges facing modern healthcare and to provide our friends and neighbors with outstanding care.”

The workers have a web site at https://AFTVermont.org

**********

On March 23, about 200 people attended a rally in front of the main post office in Brattleboro to protest Trump's plan to privatize of the US Postal Service. The rally was organized by Branch 37 of the National Association of Letter Carriers union.

**********

On March 27, Timothy Benoit the organizing director at Springfield No One Leaves, emailed the Valley Post, “Here's a write-up one of our organizers did of the event: Local grassroots organization Springfield No One Leaves held a vigil at 713 Britton Street in (the Pioneer Valley town of) Chicopee for Mary and Rich Nadeau, a couple facing eviction by Deutsche Bank after 19 years in their home. Over 30 community members gathered with signs like 'We shall not be moved' as passing cars honked in solidarity. Attendees chanted 'Deutsche Bank, what do you say? Take our money and let us stay!'—a direct rebuke of the bank’s refusal to accept the couple’s offer to repurchase their house. Neighbors from nearby drifted into the crowd, while others recounted personal fights against predatory lenders, including court battles and the support they also got from the community. Mary and Rich stood with supporters who stressed their right to reclaim the home, contrasting Deutsche Bank’s push to evict them. The vigil blended frustration and resolve: Organizers framed the fight as part of a broader struggle against corporate displacement, emphasizing that the Nadeaus’ case reflects systemic exploitation.”