U.S. Rep. Abe Hamadeh was met with protesters outside a private event April 23 at Peoria Mayor Jason Beck’s business within the city.
Protesters say they came out because they want Hamadeh to stand against the so-called cost-cutting efforts by the Department of Government Efficiency, more familiarly known as DOGE, which they say has been reckless and irresponsible in those efforts. It mirrors similar movements, particularly targeting Republicans, being held across the U.S.
Activist Brent Peak said Northwest Valley Indivisible, a local group of the national progressive pro-democracy organization, has been asking the congressman for a meeting or a bipartisan town hall for months.
Since President Donald Trump took office, constituents throughout the country have requested their representatives call town halls to address their grievances with him and DOGE. Republicans have refused to do so.
Peak said he has been “brushed off” by Hamadeh’s office, initially with no calls back and then repeatedly told that a town hall was “in the works.”
He said the group did have a town hall March 17 in Surprise with more than 200 in attendance, and Hamadeh was invited but did not attend.
Peak, who organized the event in Peoria, mostly with senior citizens, said when nothing transpired from Hamadeh, Northwest Valley Indivisible began protesting at his Surprise office and have been doing so for the past two months on every Monday.
When they heard Hamadeh would be in Peoria, they said they would continue the movement there, where around 60 people protested, Peak said.
Peak said elected officials should stand up to DOGE as they are acting recklessly and without care. The primary concern is the president and his largest donor, Elon Musk, are dismantling the government without concern for the effects, and there has been no response from the congressman, he said.
“Hamadeh should serve the whole district, not just his extremist base,” Peak said.
Representatives from Hamadeh’s office said they are not responding to inquiries regarding the protest.
At the April 23 protest, Peoria Police officers were called to Tyr Tactical.
Police spokesperson Shelly Montes said police were called because demonstrators were gathered directly in front of the business’s driveway, obstructing access to and from the property. Officers’ response was focused on ensuring the safety of both protesters and drivers entering or exiting the area, she said.
At one point during the event, Beck and police asked them to move across the street.
Montes said one of the group’s individuals, using a megaphone, asked officers, “Is it your request that we move across the street?”
An officer responded, “Yes, that is my request.”
The individual replied, “We comply with all law enforcement requests.”
“With safety in mind for both the protesters and the public, officers recommended the group relocate to the opposite side of the street. It’s important to clarify that this was a voluntary move and not a police order,” Montes said. “The group complied without issue, and no one was forced to move. While most of the interaction remained peaceful, one protester expressed frustration with the suggestion to move and was vocal in her disagreement, including the use of strong language. At one point, she indicated she intended to file a complaint but later declined to move forward with it.”
Officers used their vehicles to block the road so demonstrators could cross the street, where they finished the protest.
Peak said he did not understand the request to move as voluntary. Police rerouted 60 senior citizens across five lanes of traffic to the side of the street with no bike lane, no landscape buffer and a smaller sidewalk, he said.
“We were put in more danger by crossing the road and standing on the other side,” Peak said.
Senior News Editor Philip Haldiman can be reached at phaldiman@iniusa.org, or on X @philiphaldiman. We’d like to invite our readers to submit their civil comments, pro or con, on this issue. Email AZOpinions@iniusa.org.
Meet Philip Haldiman is an award-winning journalist who most recently took first place for investigative reporting in 2023 from Arizona Newspapers Association. He joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in 2015, covering Sun City West his first year. Since 2016, he has covered the city of Peoria. Prior to coming to INI, he was a reporter with The Arizona Republic for seven years, covering numerous cities throughout the Valley. Before that, he was a freelance writer.
Community: Haldiman spearheads the Peoria Independent Hometown Heroes Awards program, honoring local individuals and businesses that give back to the community. He has hosted local candidate forums over the years and is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists. Haldiman also served as a member of the Journalism Program Community Advisory Board at Glendale Community College. Outside journalism, Haldiman served as a member of the city of Peoria Complete Count Committee for the Census, 2019-2020. Lastly, he has served as a member of his HOA governing board since 2021.
Education: Arizona State University with a BA in Journalism and Mass Communications and a BA in Theater.
Random Fact: Haldiman is a fourth-generation Arizonan as well as wrote and produced an autobiographical comic book about his time spent in Hollywood and his life as a cult film star.
Hobbies: He enjoys hiking Arizona’s mountainous landscapes and is currently working on a play for the stage.
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