Group keeps the peace at Whidbey rallies

Published 1:30 am Friday, February 27, 2026

A volunteer group in bright yellow vests has taken on a quiet, deliberate role: not to lead the chants, but to keep the people chanting safe on the streets of Whidbey Island.

SOS Whidbey, formed in 2019, was created because its founders felt that democracy in the U.S. was at risk. However, especially in the last year, the volunteer-led organization has grown into a network of about 50 peacekeepers who help maintain calm and safety during student walkouts, community rallies, marches and vigils across the island.

With increased political activism on Whidbey over the past year, requests for the team’s presence have also risen. It is seeking more volunteers to attend and protect members at activism events. The group will host its next group training on March 21.

Diana Sandoval, who was one of the early volunteers, said the mission is simple: “We protect each other. We care for each other. We keep each other safe.”

Peacekeepers — often visible in bright yellow vests — focus primarily on traffic safety and de-escalation. It feels like a cultural shift, Sanodval said, of taking a non-violent stance and protecting the peace of the protestors. In the past, they have attended an Alex Pretti vigil, a Gaza victims vigil, a hands-off protest, united student leader rallies and more.

“Our biggest focus is to keep participants safe from traffic,” Sandoval said, noting that passion can sometimes override awareness at busy intersections. When tensions rise, peacekeepers act as buffers between opposing groups and remind participants not to engage in provocation.

“It doesn’t work to yell back,” she said. “Instead, let’s just stand in our values and talk about what vision it is that we are working towards.”

Several members have completed de-escalation and bystander intervention training, and the group hosted a half-day peacekeeping training last August with Eileen Flanagan, a Quaker activist. Beyond crowd safety, peacekeepers also assist participants who are overheated, injured or in need of support and coordinate with law enforcement when necessary.

Sandoval sees the work as part of a broader cultural shift. After Renee Good was fatally shot in Minneapolis by a Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer, prompting calls for protest on the island, she said, “I didn’t want to protest. I wanted to cry.” This sentiment prompted her to call for a community grieving meeting.

Though she is a volunteer, Sandoval treats the group as a full-time job. She currently dedicates much of her time to coordinating peacekeepers and immigration rapid response efforts. The group frequently partners with Indivisible Whidbey and other local organizations.

Protecting her community is at the heart of Sandoval’s mission.

“That’s what a community is all about. You know, we protect each other, we care for each other, we keep each other safe,” she said.

Those interested in becoming a peacekeeper or requesting support for an event can sign up through SOS Whidbey’s website. Donations to its “Neighbor to Neighbor” fund, which supports immigrant families with rent, transportation and legal fees, can be made through GoFundMe at gofundme.com/f/grassroots-support-for-immigrant-families.