On Saturday, nearly 2,000 nationwide protests dubbed the “No Kings” protests were held to oppose the Trump administration on the same day as the Army’s 250th Anniversary Parade on President Donald Trump’s birthday.
There were over 20 in the state of Georgia, including two in Gainesville.
In the first one, hundreds of people lined Jesse Jewell Parkway at Poultry Park to speak out against the Trump administration on various topics including immigration and federal cuts.
“We have a separation of power in the Constitution for a very, very good reason,” Jane with Indivisible Hall said. “There is just no respect for that in this administration at all.”
Jim Robison who is also with Indivisible Hall said America needs a “legitimate president.”
“I'm here today because I believe in democracy, and our democracy is in danger. Our president is violating the law and getting away with it. We don't need a king. We need a legitimate president who obeys the law,” Robison said.
“No Kings” day came just after protests in Los Angeles cascaded across the country over stepped-up immigration raids by the Trump administration that led to the deployment of National Guard troops and Marines to the city.
“I'm here to protest Trump's seizure of executive power in the past two weeks,” protester John Rawlings said. “I think that they've taken a dramatic action by attempting to militarize the police in Los Angeles ... by sending in the National Guard and then following it with the Marines.”
The protest at Poultry Park saw people gathering at around 10 a.m. and it ended at around 1:30 p.m.
The protest on the Square lasted from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. and also saw hundreds of people around the Square. Indivisible Lumpkin left at their scheduled time of 4 p.m., but a spontaneous group of protestors stayed to continue protesting until the Gainesville Police Department (GPD) briefly detoured roadways around the event at around 4:30 p.m. due to a large amount of pedestrian traffic affecting the public according to GPD Lieutenant Kevin Holbrook.
“We have been protesting the Trump administration since it started,” Judy Kreps with Indivisible Lumpkin said. “It’s a national day of defiance that has organized kind of organically, but has turned into a real movement.”
When asked why they were protesting, Carol and Lynn said it was to let their voices be heard.
“To lend support for something that’s so critical, making sure people know there are folks out here that care,” Carol said. “To make our voice heard,” Lynn said.
Some people took “No Kings” day to speak about how America has already gotten rid of kings in the past.
“I’m protesting that Trump wants to be king of the United States, and we don’t need a king in here,” an anonymous protestor said. “We gave up King Georgia when we took our independence many, many, many years ago.”
“My ancestors fought in the first American Revolution, so it's my duty to stand up for the freedoms that we fought for the first time,” another anonymous protestor said.
Another protestor mentioned common characteristics of fascist movements, with one being identification as scapegoats for a unifying cause.
He said immigrants are being blamed for the country’s problems. When asked how he would feel if Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) came to Gainesville to deport workers, he responded “angry and afraid.”
Someone else shared a similar sentiment regarding immigration.
“This is my hometown and I’m just not okay with the direction that our president and our federal government are trying to take this country,” the protestor said. “The immigrants who came here belong here, and this is my community. I’m not going to let them take my friends and family.”
People from various age groups and occupations showed up, including a former kindergarten teacher who said Trump is not obeying his oath of office.
“It would be good if he would obey his oath of office, and he’s not,” one protestor said. “I taught kindergarten and I told my children there are things that we just don’t do, and he does all of them.”
The protests stayed peaceful after taking up over six hours of Saturday.
Hall County Sheriff's Office (HCSO) personnel called the protests peaceful and said "about 100 people" came up to thank them for being at the protest.
Several people did cite getting warnings or tickets regarding honking their horn in Downtown Gainesville. Blowing horns excessively is prohibited in the city according to Gainesville’s municipal code.
On Saturday, nearly 2,000 nationwide protests dubbed the “No Kings” protests were held to oppose the Trump administration on the same day as the Army’s 250th Anniversary Parade on President Donald Trump’s birthday.
There were over 20 in the state of Georgia, including two in Gainesville.
In the first one, hundreds of people lined Jesse Jewell Parkway at Poultry Park to speak out against the Trump administration on various topics including immigration and federal cuts.
“We have a separation of power in the Constitution for a very, very good reason,” Jane with Indivisible Hall said. “There is just no respect for that in this administration at all.”
Jim Robison who is also with Indivisible Hall said America needs a “legitimate president.”
“I'm here today because I believe in democracy, and our democracy is in danger. Our president is violating the law and getting away with it. We don't need a king. We need a legitimate president who obeys the law,” Robison said.
“No Kings” day came just after protests in Los Angeles cascaded across the country over stepped-up immigration raids by the Trump administration that led to the deployment of National Guard troops and Marines to the city.
“I'm here to protest Trump's seizure of executive power in the past two weeks,” protester John Rawlings said. “I think that they've taken a dramatic action by attempting to militarize the police in Los Angeles ... by sending in the National Guard and then following it with the Marines.”
The protest at Poultry Park saw people gathering at around 10 a.m. and it ended at around 1:30 p.m.
The protest on the Square lasted from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. and also saw hundreds of people around the Square. Indivisible Lumpkin left at their scheduled time of 4 p.m., but a spontaneous group of protestors stayed to continue protesting until the Gainesville Police Department (GPD) briefly detoured roadways around the event at around 4:30 p.m. due to a large amount of pedestrian traffic affecting the public according to GPD Lieutenant Kevin Holbrook.
“We have been protesting the Trump administration since it started,” Judy Kreps with Indivisible Lumpkin said. “It’s a national day of defiance that has organized kind of organically, but has turned into a real movement.”
When asked why they were protesting, Carol and Lynn said it was to let their voices be heard.
“To lend support for something that’s so critical, making sure people know there are folks out here that care,” Carol said. “To make our voice heard,” Lynn said.
Some people took “No Kings” day to speak about how America has already gotten rid of kings in the past.
“I’m protesting that Trump wants to be king of the United States, and we don’t need a king in here,” an anonymous protestor said. “We gave up King Georgia when we took our independence many, many, many years ago.”
“My ancestors fought in the first American Revolution, so it's my duty to stand up for the freedoms that we fought for the first time,” another anonymous protestor said.
Another protestor mentioned common characteristics of fascist movements, with one being identification as scapegoats for a unifying cause.
He said immigrants are being blamed for the country’s problems. When asked how he would feel if Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) came to Gainesville to deport workers, he responded “angry and afraid.”
Someone else shared a similar sentiment regarding immigration.
“This is my hometown and I’m just not okay with the direction that our president and our federal government are trying to take this country,” the protestor said. “The immigrants who came here belong here, and this is my community. I’m not going to let them take my friends and family.”
People from various age groups and occupations showed up, including a former kindergarten teacher who said Trump is not obeying his oath of office.
“It would be good if he would obey his oath of office, and he’s not,” one protestor said. “I taught kindergarten and I told my children there are things that we just don’t do, and he does all of them.”
The protests stayed peaceful after taking up over six hours of Saturday.
Hall County Sheriff's Office (HCSO) personnel called the protests peaceful and said "about 100 people" came up to thank them for being at the protest.
Several people did cite getting warnings or tickets regarding honking their horn in Downtown Gainesville. Blowing horns excessively is prohibited in the city according to Gainesville’s municipal code.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2025/6/1292007/gainesville-sees-pair-of-no-kings-protests-on-same-day-of-trumps-military-parade