No King's protesters speak out

Protesters from multiple states described the rallies as peaceful and cheerful public affirmations of democracy, filled with patriotism, music, unity and firm opposition to fascism.

- By David Ruprecht

Ezra Levin, a director at Indivisible, a grassroots movement that touts itself as anti-Trump and progressive, was interviewed by Mother Jones before the No Kings rallies.

Levin said the demonstrations were attended by “moms and grandmas and kids and dogs” who display funny signs while dancing and otherwise performing joyful “displays of opposition to the regime that are foundationally nonviolent”.

The reality was indeed different from 6 January 2021, even in states where Trump won. Renee Langan confirmed that “nothing outrageous happened” at a protest she attended in Lincoln, Nebraska. She noted that it was a “very peaceful protest [with] no cops [and] no violence ... [and that] maybe two people drove by in opposition”.

In New Orleans, Louisiana online influencer and educator Rubia Garcia II noted that those who “tried to brand it as a ‘Hate America’ rally” were fearmongering, as “all you saw was patriotism, love, music, unity and inflatables doing the two-step”.

Some saw their participation as more serious. There for his father and millions of his “antifa buddies [who] started at Omaha Beach and marched to Berlin to defeat fascism”, Pat Morris Sr went on to declare: “I will to my last breath fight fascism here in the United States of America.”

At a protest in Edmonds, Washington, Janet Irons explained: “I went to turn the tide against fascism and authoritarianism. It was inspirational and gave me hope!”