The first of what may become a series of protests calling for President Donald Trump’s impeachment by South Whidbey residents kicked off Sunday with a demonstration in Langley.

Around 40 people participated in the vigil on the sidewalk of Edgecliff Drive organized by Langley resident Diane Jhueck, a member of POWER (People of Whidbey Elegantly Resisting). Jhueck said national and local events will determine how often and how long the protests last.

“I hope that tomorrow he’s out of office,” Jhueck said. “We’ll keep doing this until he is.”

Jhueck said the vigil was about the “need” to impeach Trump, based on their belief that he is unfit for the position.

People held signs that read, “Unfit,” and “Think While It’s Still Legal,” while demonstrating in plain view of people driving down one of the main corridors to downtown. Another sign said, “You Have The Right To Remain Silent…But I Wouldn’t Recommend It!”

They received more than a few honks of appreciation by drivers passing by.

Langley resident Ursula Roosen-Runge said she didn’t have any illusions about the protest. She knew the demonstration would likely never catch the 71-year-old president’s attention, but was worth the effort.

Roosen-Runge thinks Trump’s cabinet choices are poor and are “dismantling.” She also said that the president’s messages on Twitter and the Russia investigation are just a few things that are detracting from events that would typically dominate a news cycle.

“I think there’s a lot going on in the background that would normally be making headlines,” Roosen-Runge said. “…We’re going to end up with decades of repair work to do. I think across the board he’s very dangerous to the world.”

Jhueck said there were a couple factors that spurred the protest. She said the Langley City Council’s vote against becoming a sanctuary city showed Langley’s government “does not appear to be one which will protect the people who live, shop and work here from the ever more dangerous federal government we are currently subject to.” She said most of the demonstrators wanted to voice their opposition against the Langley city government’s reluctance to stand up to an “authoritarian” government.

She also said they were protesting Trump’s presidency as a whole.

“We’ve been protesting since before he was actually inaugurated,” Jhueck said. “He’s a terrible choice. He’s completely unpresidential. He’s dangerous. He’s mentally ill, which I’ll say as a therapist.”

But, Jhueck says, it is not all bad. After all, people are standing up for what they believe in.

“If I look at any positive side to the current administration, it would be the amount of citizen activism it’s caused.”

Vanessa Link also participated in the protest. She thinks it’s an important issue to all, and especially as someone who is disabled.

“I’m very inspired by my fellow disabled people protesting in D.C.,” Link said. “I felt this was my way to participate in that. I was just thanking Diane for picking a very accessible location. I was happy this was something I could easily participate in.”

Link said the lives of a lot of people she knows who could be in danger with cuts to Medicaid.