Mid-Missouri groups' protest calls for investigation into Trump, Russia ties

Dick Dalton holds an Earth flag Saturday, June 3, 2017 during the March for Truth event at the Noren River Access in north Jefferson City. Dalton said he often carries the flag around town to advocate peace.
Dick Dalton holds an Earth flag Saturday, June 3, 2017 during the March for Truth event at the Noren River Access in north Jefferson City. Dalton said he often carries the flag around town to advocate peace.

Members of Jefferson City Area Indivisible (JCAI) and Capitol Area Missouri NOW joined groups in 150 other cities marching to "rise together to call for a fair and impartial investigation into President Donald Trump's ties to Russia and demand the pursuit of truth."

Saturday night, approximately two dozen people, most from Jefferson City, but some from Columbia and Springfield, gathered and marched across the Missouri River Bridge to Serenity Point at the Noren River Access where they held a candlelight ceremony.

Jan Harcourt, of Jefferson City, was the spokesperson at the March for Truth event and said while this effort began over concerns about the reported ties between Russia and Trump, those involved felt they needed to come together for a much broader cause.

"We're marching for our values which we feel are threatened right now," she said. "We are marching for truth in our political process, in our elected leaders, and with the symbolism of the candlelight vigil, we showed our belief for shining light on democracy."

Trump has repeatedly said on the campaign trail and while in office that he does not have financial interests in Russia. The Kremlin also has denied the Russian government was behind a cyber campaign to undermine the 2016 election.

Trump supporters held a counter rally across from the White House showing their support for the president, in particular his decision this week to pull out of the Paris Climate Agreement, noting it was a campaign promise Trump kept.

Harcourt said she and those marching Saturday where concerned about the fake news and how that influences elected leaders, even those at the highest levels of government.

"It's not just over Russia, it the whole issue of truth," she said. "If we can't agree on the facts of what's happening in our world, then how can we work together to solve our problems."

Harcourt added there's a lot of problems with propaganda, not just from Russia but from the media here in the United States. One of the biggest fake news issues she feels needs to be corrected is groups like the one that came out Saturday were paid protesters.

"Common sense, I think, would let anyone know that's not possible because these are going on all the time," Harcourt said. "Many of us have spent many hours organizing this event, and it's bubbling up from the grass roots. We're working on protecting our values as Americans."

The Associated Press contributed information used in this story.