The Free State of Maryland felt free to state its collective aversion to President Donald Trump’s administration at Saturday’s No Kings rallies, including more than 6,000 people who filled the Chrysalis in Columbia’s Symphony Woods.
At least 7 million people showed up to the more than 2,600 events across the country on Saturday to non-violently protest Trump and his policies that have received little to no protest from the GOP majority in Congress or admonishment from the Supreme Court majority.
At the Columbia No Kings event demonstrators shared a unified message: “No Thrones. No Crowns. No Kings.” The thousands of attendees heard from U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen, Rep. Sarah Elfreth, and a lineup of local speakers, who spoke out against Trump and his administration. After the speeches, the crowd marched to Little Patuxent Parkway and lined the street all the way down to Broken Land Parkway.
“From militarizing American cities to denying due process to attacking everything from free speech to federal workers and the services they provide, Donald Trump’s lawless actions and abuse of power are imperiling our democracy and the rights and freedoms we hold dear,” Van Hollen said. “Today, I proudly stood with thousands of Howard County residents, as well as Marylanders across the state, to send a clear message: America does not bow down to authoritarians and dictators. We stand up for our freedoms and our Constitution. Yes to our democracy; NO kings!”
“Today is about how we collectively respond to what is happening in Washington,” said Elfreth. “The brilliance of our Constitution and our Founders is that the people determine the government. This grand experiment can’t work with just 535 members of Congress — it only works because each and every one of you show up and speak up. That’s the foundation of our republic.”
Maryland and Howard County is home to a significant number of federal employees and government contractors who have been negatively impacted by Trump’s mass firings and now the shutdown of the federal government that has persisted for nearly three weeks. At the rally in Columbia, residents shared their stories with No Kings organizers, using just their first names.
“I didn’t want to stand up here for fear of retribution or further personal suffering,” said Betsy, a former federal contractor. “But I’m done being quiet. I lost my job and my career that I love. I lost my health insurance. I had to sell my house.”
“My mother came to this country because it offered political equality,” Alisha said, who is a member of the LGBTQIA+ community. “A stark contrast to the caste-based environment where who you choose to love needs to be decided for you rather than by you. But when I see the American flag, I see pain and suffering. It has been claimed by groups inflicting force upon my communities. So, it’s time we reclaim it for what it truly stands for.”
“Youth participation is so important in a time when the lines are blurred,” said Mark, a student in Howard County. “And youth conviction brings this new freshness to a movement that encompasses everyone. Many of our youth are cynical about their role in the process, but movements where we come together as a community show how we’re more powerful when we come together.”
“Growing up I learned about patriotism and service to my country, and I took an oath to protect the U.S. Constitution,” said Max, a retired naval officer. “And I’ve watched over the last nine months Trump’s repeated attacks against the constitution. And that’s why I’m here.”
The Columbia No Kings protest was organized by a coalition of local grassroots and Democratic organizations. The coalition included IndivisibleHoCoMD, the Columbia Democratic Club, the Thurgood Marshall Democratic Club, the Young Democrats Club, and the Ellicott City & Western Howard Democratic Club.
