Protestors rallying – Courtesy: Shutterstock – Image by Heidi Besen
“No Kings” demonstrations were held on Saturday in South Florida and other parts of the United States to express disapproval of President Trump’s use of force.
In all 50 states and globally, national leaders of the “No Kings” Coalition referred to it as a nonviolent day of action.
In both Miami-Dade and Broward Counties, where CBS News Miami teams were stationed, sizable crowds started to assemble on Saturday morning to protest Mr. Trump’s handling of a number of issues, including immigration and the government shutdown.
Only a small portion of the roughly 2,500 “No Kings” protests that took place around the United States took place on Saturday, Day 19 of the shutdown.
The demonstrations in Miami-Dade
Some of the protesters who attended the event at the Torch of Friendship in Downtown Miami, according to CBS News Miami, came to give voice to the people who feel most marginalized in the nation.
Protester Roxanne Featherly stated, “I’m most worried about people who aren’t doing well in this country, people who are being marginalized.” “The hate [and] I guess you can say the bipolarism that we have.”
Featherly revealed to CBS News Miami that she has acquaintances who are federal employees.
“They haven’t received their money and have been sitting at home. Who, after all, can survive without a paycheck? Featherly spoke.
She claimed that the Trump administration’s recent immigration enforcement is cruel and that she has been on the streets roughly six times, according to CBS News Miami.
“They’re terrible — I don’t get it,” Featherly remarked. “I see the video on TV, where ICE is coming into neighborhoods and grabbing people off the street — kids, mothers.”
The “No Kings” demonstration took place in response to concerns that if protests were made illegal, the president would use the Insurrection Act and send troops. There were no conflicts during the Torch of Friendship, but there were a few counter-protesters at the Miami demonstration.
According to Maureen Glabman, she would have come out anyhow.
“Tie me up, take me away,” she said to television station CBS Miami. “I’ll do anything to save America.”
Since Mr. Trump began his second administration, protests have taken place in Downtown Miami all year long. People were drawn out by issues including immigration, civil rights, and federal funding cuts.
According to organizer Maxine Long, “this protest is necessary to uphold the rule of law and defend our Constitution before we lose it.”
Protesters marched to the land next to the Freedom Tower, which has been considered as a potential location for a Trump presidential library, following rallies at the Torch and when the throng became too large. That project was put on hold for a while by a judge.
“This belongs to our county, to our city, to our community,” Florida Rising’s Sebastian Caicedo stated. “That library should be for our people.”
Prominent displays
In Hollywood, the audience tried to make the protest humorous by dressing up as inflatable unicorns and sharks, but despite how silly some of them appeared, their message was serious.
For Vikki Gomez, chanting and marching are nothing new.
“When I was thinking about what sign to make, I really didn’t know what to put on it because I’m outraged at so many things [that] they wouldn’t fit,” she stated to CBS News Miami.
Since the Vietnam War, Gomez has been speaking out and taking part in demonstrations. She did, however, bring her friend Barbara Joliff on Saturday.
Joliff remarked, “We’re seniors, and usually seniors don’t think we can get involved,” at her very first demonstration. “And I would like to say we can get involved.”
Miami Indivisible and Hope Action Indivisible coordinated the Hollywood crowd, and they joined it.
According to Miami Indivisible’s Janice Mueller, “a lot of work goes into organizing this, but we mostly care about our country.” “Care about the direction we’re going, which is the wrong direction.”
People in the Hollywood crowd, like protester Lauren, carried signs and dressed in costume.
“I want to do it in a silly, fun kind of [way], I mean, who doesn’t like rainbow unicorn and all the other blow-up animals?” she stated to CBS News Miami. “I think it really makes a statement that we’re not here to hurt or do any harm — we’re here to just use our First Amendment right and freedom of speech.”
Politicians from Washington, D.C., to local council seats also participated in the demonstration.
“We’re going to come together, we’re going to speak out, and we’re going to ride this momentum all the way to election day next year and ensure that we can elect Democratic majorities across this country because that’s the only way we’re going to be able to take our country back,” Debbie Wasserman Schultz, a U.S. Representative, said
The protests on Saturday are the second nationwide gathering after the first ones in June, which were intended to protest a sizable military parade in honor of the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary in Washington, D.C. Flag Day and Mr. Trump’s 79th birthday fell on the same day as the procession.
Hands Off! and the 50501 movement planned a series of statewide rallies in April, where opponents of the president and his allies denounced what they perceived as threats to the nation’s democratic values. These rallies were followed by the “No Kings” protests.
Make sure you are staying up-to-date with the latest and most important Florida news with Florida Insider. Whether you are interested in business, education, government, history, sports, real estate, nature, weather, or travel: we have something for everyone. Follow along for the best stories in the Sunshine State.
Chris began his writing as a hobby while attending Florida Southern College in Lakeland, Florida. Today he and his wife live in the Orlando area with their three children and dog.
