A scam-prevention summit meant to help Hoosiers guard their savings turned into a flashpoint over national politics Monday, as protesters lined up outside Columbus's Mill Race Center while U.S. Rep. Jefferson Shreve held his second STOP Scams Summit inside. Demonstrators carried signs and Ukrainian flags, criticizing the Indianapolis Republican's support for President Donald Trump and raising pointed questions about his record on consumer protections.
The protest was organized by Bartholomew County Indivisible and Columbus Community United, according to The Republic, with demonstrators gathering outside to voice opposition to Shreve's backing of the Trump administration's policies. Some protesters carrying Ukrainian flags argued that Trump, and by extension Shreve, had not done enough to support Ukraine, the newspaper reported. Columbus Community United members were also there to oppose what they described as Trump's alleged actions, while Bartholomew County Indivisible members pressed Shreve over his response — or lack of one — to federal agency cuts.
Protesters Demand Accountability on the Constitution and CFPB
One protester told The Republic he was disappointed with Shreve and how the congressman was defending the Constitution, saying it was not being defended, and separately alleged that Trump was violating legal provisions. Another protester argued that Shreve did not stand up for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau when it was abolished in 2025 during DOGE cuts, contending that Shreve's actions on that front sent a different message than his remarks inside the summit about protecting consumers. A third protester said simply that Shreve was not holding Trump accountable.
The demonstration echoed a similar event two days earlier, on Oct. 17 — the “No Kings: Vote Early” rally outside Indiana Gov. Mike Braun's residence in Indianapolis, where more than 100 people turned out, according to WFYI. That Indianapolis rally urged voters to turn out for the Nov. 3 midterm election and was part of a coalition effort that staged more than 3,000 marches and other events nationwide, per the same report.
Shreve Says He Welcomes the Scrutiny
Shreve, the Republican congressman representing Indiana's 6th District, said people had every right to protest him, according to the newspaper's account. He said the summit itself was about helping Hoosiers protect their hard-earned savings from scammers, adding that seniors deserved help safeguarding their lifetime savings and that his focus would remain on that work regardless of the demonstration outside.
Inside Mill Race Center, the event drew a panel of experts from local, state and federal agencies, along with a bank representative, who spoke to attendees about identifying and preventing scams, the outlet reported separately. Topics covered included romance scams — also known as pig-butchering scams — celebrity impersonations, Medicare scams, recovery scams, deed fraud and title theft. Elder financial exploitation is a well-documented concern nationally; the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau notes that losing money or possessions to scams, fraud and exploitation can be especially devastating to older adults.
A Pattern of Sustained Local Organizing
Bartholomew County Indivisible and Columbus Community United said their events are usually designed to encourage voting and are largely nonpartisan, and organizers told The Republic they have held 88 events since February. The groups estimated that their messages had been seen by about 60,000 passing vehicles, according to organizers' own tally cited by the newspaper.
Bartholomew County Indivisible was formed in January 2017 as part of the nationwide Indivisible movement, and the group has a history of mobilizing locally around national political flashpoints. An estimated 200 people joined a Feb. 6 march from Mill Race Park to Columbus City Hall to protest Trump's directives, a crowd that included a number of current Bartholomew County Indivisible supporters, the newspaper has reported. Monday's gathering outside the scam summit continued that pattern of recurring, organized local demonstrations tied to national debates over the Trump administration's policies.
