The nationwide No Kings movement held another round of protests Oct. 18, featuring demonstrations filled with signs, costumes and speeches expressing attendees' concerns about President Donald Trump’s administration.
Southeast Ohio was no exception to the demonstrations. According to the No Kings website, rallies were held in several locations across the region, including Athens and Chillicothe.
The Athens rally drew an estimated 1,800 people to East State Street, according to No Kings rally co-host Andrea Reik.
The demonstration stretched about 0.3 miles from the Athens Community Center to the Steak ‘n Shake, a location Reik said was chosen because of its high traffic.
Reik described the atmosphere of the event as upbeat and energetic.
“We had a reel of protest music going,” Reik said. “There was a local justice choir that had people surrounding them singing. We had a couple of people on megaphones doing chants, people were waving flags and everyone was creative on their protest signs. We had a few inflatables, kind of the theme from Portland.”
She said attendees came for many reasons. Some veterans voiced frustration that the U.S. Constitution they fought to protect is now being ignored. Others worried about food and healthcare benefits being rolled back. Reik also said others were motivated by larger concerns about the rule of law.
The rally remained peaceful and saw people from all age groups, from college students to parents with children and seniors.
The protest was part of a nationally organized effort supported by partners such as the American Civil Liberties Union, Indivisible and the 50501 Movement, the coalition behind rallies in all 50 states.
Another Southeast Ohio rally took place the same day in Chillicothe, drawing about 468 attendees outside of the Ross County Courthouse.
Political commentator Lisa Parker spoke at the event, connecting the “No Kings” message to key moments in U.S. history, from the Boston Tea Party and the Declaration of Independence to the ratification of the U.S. Constitution.
“We need to get out there and have our voices heard. We cannot stop now,” Parker said. “We're in a marathon, not a sprint. We have been so polite since 2015 that when this outrageousness came out, I think originally, people were in shock, and then we were trying to be polite … I think we've had enough. We're going to get back to democracy and take personal responsibility.”
Parker noted how these events bring together people of different generations to sit down and appreciate their differences.
“Young people are finding out what it used to be like, and older people are now understanding the angst of the youth,” Parker said. “That has been the beautiful part of these rallies, to me, is to watch that.”
She described the mood in Chillicothe as uplifting.
“It was terrific,” Parker said. “The energy was great. It was almost a celebration of people coming out and finding their voices and not being quiet, and it was terrific.”
Reik said protests like these are just one way to express discontent with the current administration. In September, at a different protest, Reik and other attendees wrote messages on a scroll that voiced their concerns and sent it to the U.S. House of Representatives.
“There are other ways to make a statement,” Reik said. “It is financial, like there are people who want a blackout on Thanksgiving weekend, cannot shop on Amazon, the tech weekend, so there is no one-size-fits-all. There's a variety of tools: calling your state house, writing postcards.”
Reik said rallies like these play an important role in fostering connection and visibility.
"For me, personally, it's very energizing,” Reik said. “I feel like I'm not alone in being terrified and angry about what's happening, so it brings people together. I also think, in my opinion, it's a very visible platform, so people that are driving by, that are maybe not really politically active or spend much time studying politics and the local news, it's eye-catching.”
