CHEYENNE — An impromptu “86/47” demonstration at the Wyoming Capitol against President Donald Trump on the anniversary of the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol turned into a buffet-style protest Tuesday.
A small group of about 25 people gathered in front of the Capitol steps as a chill wind whipped the Wyoming and American flags above them.
On the ground, the protest — organized by a Cheyenne political group called The Circle — featured people passing a microphone around to sound off on Jan. 6 and anything else on their minds.
That included railing against Trump and Republicans over the recent U.S. incursion into Venezuela to capture dictator leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife, and America’s involvement in conflicts around the world.
Dillon Williams called on people to “directly confront the vast military apparatus that is present here in the United States and with its allies across the world.”
He also advocated an economic protest, something he said the COVID-19 pandemic prepared people for.
“During those two years of shutdown, we still existed as an economy, we still had essential work being done,” Williams said. “We need to strongly consider a nationwide economic shutdown.”
He said that doesn’t mean people should “riot in the streets,” but that hitting big business where it hurts can have a “massive impact.”
As some motorists driving by honked in support of the protesters during a call-out-and-answer of:
“Why do we stand here?”
“Democracy!”
Dillon Williams, left, and John Sheffield at Tuesday's "86/47" rally at the Wyoming Capitol. (Greg Johnson, Cowboy State Daily) 
An small, loosely organized “86/47” demonstration at the Wyoming Capitol against President Donald Trump on the anniversary of Jan. 6, 2021, turned into a buffet-style protest Tuesday. Also targeted were Republicans and the U.S. incursion into Venezuela. (Greg Johnson, Cowboy State Daily) 
An small, loosely organized “86/47” demonstration at the Wyoming Capitol against President Donald Trump on the anniversary of Jan. 6, 2021, turned into a buffet-style protest Tuesday. Also targeted were Republicans and the U.S. incursion into Venezuela. (Greg Johnson, Cowboy State Daily)
Venezuela
While the gathering was organized to mark the anniversary of the Jan. 6, 2021, riot, it was dominated by condemnation of Trump’s order to send the military into Venezuela and apprehend Maduro.
Now that Maduro has been deposed, John Sheffield said Trump needs to recognize Edmundo González Urrutia as Venezuela’s legitimate president. Gonzalez ran against Maduro in an election July 2024 many consider tainted.
“The European Union and several Latin American nations recognize Gonzalez as the legitimate president of Venezuela and the winner of the 2024 election,” said Sheffield. “Our own country recognized that's the person.
“If you really want to give Venezuelans their voice, that's the person who should be going to office.”
He also called out the administration for military actions during Trump’s presidency, saying, “He’s dropping a bomb on someone about every six weeks in office. That’s a total of eight nations being bombed in about 48 weeks.”
Countering that was Charlie Hardy, an 86-year-old who said he spent 26 years living in Venezuela and visited there three times last year.
In a lengthy speech, he disagreed that Gonzalez should be president and defended Maduro.
He said that many countries recognizing Gonzalez as Venezuela’s elected leader “says something about the bullshit that’s gone around the world about who won the election.”
Hardy said the election was hinky, but that Gonzalez “is an old fogey” and that he’s “so sick and tired of hearing that Maduro is a dictator, that (former President Hugo) Chavez was a dictator.”
When confronted by a protester directly if Maduro is a dictator, Hardy responded, “Shit no.”
Contact Greg Johnson at greg@cowboystatedaily.com
Greg Johnson can be reached at greg@cowboystatedaily.com.
