On Saturday, Oct. 18, millions of people in the United States are planning to gather in protest of President Donald Trump’s administration at the second set of “No Kings” rallies, and Marylanders are joining with their own demonstrations.
If the map on the No Kings website is any indication, as of this writing at least 17 rallies are planned in Baltimore and the surrounding area alone, and dozens more in other parts of Maryland. Saturday’s protests are intended to make a statement against what the No Kings organizers call Trump’s “authoritarian power grabs.”
Among the president’s moves have been his sending masked agents into the streets to pull people they assume are immigrants into their vans without identifying themselves; agents arresting and detaining people without warrants; threatening to overtake elections; taking away access to healthcare; gerrymandering, and more.
The No Kings movement insists on peaceful protest, while acknowledging the movement’s growth. The first No Kings rally took place on June 14, when there were at least 25 protests in Maryland, with over 1,000 people gathering in Patterson Park alone. That nationwide rally coincided with Trump’s birthday and sprung up in protest not only to his policies but his holding a military “parade” in the streets of Washington, D.C.
“’NO KINGS’ is more than just a slogan; it is the foundation our nation was built upon,” reads the website. “Born in the streets, shouted by millions, carried on posters and chants, it echoes from city blocks to rural town squares, uniting people across this country to fight dictatorship together.”
On Oct. 10, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson blamed the planned No Kings rallies for the ongoing government shutdown, saying on Fox News, “It’s being told to us that they [Democrats] won’t be able to re-open the government until after that rally, because they can’t face their rabid base.”
No Kings organizers issued a statement on their website in response, which read:
“Speaker Johnson is running out of excuses for keeping the government shut down. Instead of reopening the government, preserving affordable healthcare, or lowering costs for working families, he’s attacking millions of Americans who are peacefully coming together to say that America belongs to its people, not to kings.
“We’ll see everyone on October 18.”
To that end, the organizers have held and posted multiple trainings on protest safety, knowing your rights, and de-escalation techniques to ensure a peaceful and safe atmosphere at the rallies. They have also held trainings on digital engagement, trainings for organizers of the individual rallies, and educational trainings on the history of the tradition of protest.
There is another training on protest safety being held on Wednesday, Oct. 15 at 7 p.m. People planning to attend a rally can still sign up to participate.
The website has a page for rally-goers to download and print out signs, and people in Ellicott City might still be able to snag a sign made by Steven Wampler. Wampler owns Advantage Awards and Engraving and has been making free protest signs as a gift to the local community.
Ronnie Davis, an organizer with Indivisible and Chair of the Harford Democratic Club, told Baltimore Fishbowl that their rally on Saturday will take place from 1–4 p.m., beginning in front of the Aberdeen Amtrak station at 18 East Bel Air Ave.
“The No KINGS rally in Aberdeen on October 18 from 1-4pm is basically to tell our country and the world, we are not backing down, and will not accept a king or tyrant,” Davis said. “We will sign wave on Rte. 40 and then march to Festival Park where we will have live music and inspirational speakers who will give us information as well as giving us several call to actions! Our speakers consist of clergy, the ACLU and local politicians. We are all about a peaceful rally!”
Oh, but we do have kings. Little kings. Here in Baltimore City, and throughout the nation. Mayors, heads of corporations, indiscriminate developers, those who override sensible decisions, or ignore large community viewpoints, ignore even the environment itself, because they have no obstacles, not even reason and the will of the people.
Agree. And if one speaks up, you are called names and dismissed. Then they drive away in their totally tricked out SUV’s.
Does ANYONE wonder who is really behind these extremely well organized, nationwide protests? Someone with a lot of money, and secret influence, is having a good time manipulating a lot of people.
I wonder how many would attend these things if they weren’t paid and provided transportation to and from! Soros’ corporation used Billions of $$$ on these things!
What do you mean? Indivisible is behind the No Kings protests. Indivisible was started by Leah Greenberg and Ezra Levin writing a Google doc on practical steps people can take to organize locally and petition their representatives to stand against the Trump agenda. The Google doc led to creating a website to help organizers create local chapters. And that led to creating Indivisible.
There’s no need for wonder and imagination when you can just do a couple google searches and read a bit.