With authoritarianism on the rise, Rhode Islanders say, "No Kings"
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| Protest at Dunn's Corner in Westerly. Photo from South County Resistance |
Yesterday, over 1000 showed up for the "No Kings!" National Day of Protest in Westerly! The peaceful and friendly event was one of over 14,000 protests held across the country with millions participating. We made the point that we will have no king in America.
Thank you for attending here, in Wakefield, or in Providence or supporting the effort in spirit from home. We the people have the power in America, but we have to use it, if we hope to save our democratic form of government.
The 3.5% rule says that if 3.5% of the population actually participates in a non-violent movement, it is likely to succeed in bringing about significant change. This principle highlights the effectiveness of non-violent resistance compared to violent methods.
Charlestown's former state Rep. Blake "Flip" Filippi (R) had this inscrutable comment:
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| Flip seems to be calling for an armed uprising. Maybe Kristi Noem needs to send some of her goons to talk to him. |
Here's Steve's coverage. Note that in the article on his website, there are tons of photos and videos. CLICK HERE to see them all.
- Will Collette
Fascism is in the air.
Crowd sizes are difficult to estimate, but over 3,000 people
gathered at the Rhode Island State House in Providence at
noon, while over 2,000 people attended a rally in Providence’s India
Point Park, and around 2,000 people congregated at Two Mile Corner in
Middletown. Rallies were also held in South Kingstown, Warren, and Westerly, as
well as on Block Island.
The State House
“We are here to unite against tyranny and injustice against
the American people,” said Lauren, one of the organizers for 50501 Rhode Island,
before handing the microphone over to Reina.
“Thank you, everyone, for having the courage to show up,
stand up, and speak against this wannabe leader - this wannabe dictator,” said
Reina, a 50501 organizer. “While Trump’s administration gets bloated on power
and greed, we struggle and toil for our basic rights and needs. This is not
okay. We need to remind our elected officials who they work for. They work for
us.”
Reina continued:
“Let me talk about this wannabe king-wannabe dictator for a
second. In the first hundred days of his administration, he used Project
2025 as his blueprint. You remember, the one that he knew nothing
about, right? He’s issued 161 Executive Orders. He installed DOGE, which was
completely unconstitutional. He installed DOGE under the cloak of wanting to
remove fraud and abuse, trying to dismantle vital agencies for the American
people and jeopardize soft democracy around the world. He fired thousands of
employees, placing a strain on vital systems such as unemployment, food
assistance, and healthcare. All while increasing Musk’s government contracts.
“I’m sure you’ve heard his intention to defund Social
Security, a program designed to supplement people of modest means in their
retirement. He wants to defund Medicaid, a program designed to
supplement our most vulnerable community members. With these two programs
alone, he will systematically put many of our children, the disabled, the
elderly, and the veterans at risk of homelessness and death.
“These are just some examples of what this administration
has been doing to attack our community and workers.
“Let me make it clear: Being undocumented is not a crime. He
is unlawfully detaining people with no due process, and in some cases, sending
them to a foreign prison using our tax dollars. ICE has been
terrorizing our communities.
“Trump has been calling for the arrest and detention of
judges and politicians, elected officials. He’s been having people attack
journalists. We have freedom of the press. The blatant and willful destruction
of our basic constitutional rights is absolutely ridiculous. He’s using the
military against his own people. We stand in solidarity with the people in Los
Angeles.
“He’s taking away state sovereignty and targeting Democratic
states and anyone in opposition to his unconstitutional demands. Using the
military on our own people is completely unconstitutional. He has been
continuing to fund a genocide against the Palestinian people, while silencing
the First Amendment rights of people who speak out against it.
“He’s been showing his intention to remove the separation of
church and state and violate our constitution by allowing the government to
choose a religion.
“And lastly - the last point I’m going to make because this
one is important: He wants to use religion as a way to restrict women’s bodies.
We have rights, and the government shouldn’t be telling us what women should do
with their bodies.
“Trump has got to go!
“These and many more atrocities are being carried out
against citizens, those wanting to be citizens, our institutions, the
Constitution, and democracy by a convicted felon, a corrupt administration, and
a complacent government.
“This administration has given permission to the racist
leadership and citizens to target people of color, pardoning insurrectionists,
while villainizing us for exercising and protecting our constitutional rights.
“He’s been using ICE to terrorize our communities and paint
immigrants as criminals, knowing very well that we all live on stolen land and
no human is illegal. His administration is trying to normalize dictatorship and
authoritarian rule, funded by billionaires.
“Let me be clear: He’s the most visible, but he’s not the
last of them. These billionaires are using Donald Trump to keep the working
class oppressed. We need to remind the billionaires who are ruling us that the
working class has the majority. Let’s bring power back to the working class.
“It’s not enough to seek the removal of Trump’s
administration. We, the people, call for systemic change to ensure that another
administration like this is never given the power to govern. The people want
change, equality, equity, diversity, freedom, and liberation from an oppressive
system that silences those who continue to criticize it.
“I’m sure many people have heard Martin Luther King
Jr: Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. Our work goes
beyond removing Donald Trump from office. It’s to ensure another Donald Trump
never rises to power again.
“We the people call for liberation!
“Hands off our working class. Hands off the trans community. Hands off the LGBTQ+ youth community. Hands off the BIPOC community. Hands off women. Hands off the Palestinian people. Hands off our immigrants. Hands off our community members who are standing with us here today!”
“You may not know me, but you know me. I am a mother, like
you, who is fighting for an inclusive, just, and more tolerant America for my
child,” said Shaina Smith, the group leader for the Rhode Island
Indivisible Action Alliance and 50501 organizer. “I’m a business owner
who is impacted by the unnecessary and rash decisions that our administration
has placed upon us, such as tariffs and other economic storms we must weather.
I’m an invisible illness, chronic pain, and mental illness warrior like you who
believes our government should be supporting vulnerable populations by
providing fair and affordable access to healthcare.”
Shaina continued:
“I’m a taxpayer like you. I’m an advocate like you. I am
someone’s daughter, like you, who could no longer stand quietly on the
sidelines while our country was stripped of her stars and her stripes. That is
why we are here today. Because we recognize democracy. It is never guaranteed.
It survives each generation only through the courage of those like you who show
up in unity to protect our shared values.
“This is America, and its people are from all cultural
backgrounds and beliefs. We have proven time and again that the power of the
people can overcome corruption, hatred, and injustice. We’ve done it here in
the Ocean State, and we’ll do it again.
“From the labor movements that fought for fair wages and
safe working conditions to the civil rights movement that challenged
deep-seated racism. Every step forward has been driven by ordinary people
uniting for a common cause. We are not ordinary, though, we’re extraordinary,
right?
“This is going to be a tough battle. It may leave us bruised
and scarred. It will challenge us to step outside of our comfort zone. We will
get tired. We are tired, but we must learn to lean into each other. Support one
another, push forward. You are a part of America’s history now. We are writing
her story. And this chapter is titled, ‘No Kings.’
“That is going to be a bestseller someday, I guarantee it.
Our shared nation, built upon the backs of our ancestors, believes in progress.
Progress that has always been and is still powered by the courage, will, and
love of its people. So what is next? That’s the terrifying, exciting question
that we’re all asking ourselves. Part of why we are here today is to give you
the resources and tools you need to determine what path you want to take as a
history maker. Here with us today are tables set up along our empowerment
pathway, and we have the following groups and individuals with us:
“The ACLU of Rhode Island, Your
Neighborhood Food Pantry, the Old Growth Tree Society,
the Providence Organization of Workers and Renters, Ocean
State Ranked Choice Voting, the Party for Socialism and Liberation
Rhode Island Chapter, Providence General Assembly, and
the Rhode Island chapter of the National Lawyers’ Guild.
“I’m going to challenge all of us today. Make at least one
new connection. I know that is scary, but this administration is even scarier.
I have confidence that you can make one meaningful connection today. This is
our moment. While we’re in a time that’s wrapped around division and
uncertainty, our collective strength, not a self-proclaimed king, truly holds
the power to heal America.
“We need to heal her. That is why I’m challenging you to
make connections, because when these communities come together, we turn our
energy into action. We can carry that strength to Congress in Washington, D.C.,
and to our elected officials as a true patriotic force. Not the one on January
6th, but one that demands lawmakers hold the line, protect Medicare and
Medicaid, oppose cuts to food assistance, and turn down that one big,
beautiful, terrible bill.
“We can demand impeachment and removal. Article two, section
four of the Constitution. It clearly states that the president, vice president,
and all civil officers of the United States shall be removed from office upon
impeachment for conviction of treason, bribery, or other high crimes and
misdemeanors.
“Our united patriotic force can not only impeach and remove,
but we can turn our energies right here to Rhode Island, to this State House.
We can apply pressure to our decision makers at the state and local levels,
letting them know the issues that we value most. What do you value? Yell! What
do you value? Scream it! What do you value? Tell me, what do you value? What do
you want? What do we not only want, but also deserve?
“As hardworking Americans, we want ICE out of our
neighborhoods. We deserve resources to combat homelessness and food insecurity.
We want elected officials to support and not exploit our veterans and our
children. We deserve access to mental health and substance use disorder
benefits and programs. We want accountability and transparency within our
government. This is non-negotiable, so we can prevent those who seek to oppress
our rights and bodily freedoms, such as potential
nominees to fill the vacant associate judge position in the Rhode Island
District. We’ll talk more about that. I wasn’t prepared, but I’m sure I
can do something.
“All of these things that I have just named, they’re not
unattainable when we come together, but it’s up to us. We the people can make
that change happen today. We celebrate our power as a people today. We ignite
that fire within ourselves, one that holds us accountable, responsible, and
humble. Let’s keep that spark inside of us shining well after we have left our
mark on Providence today. Keep that spark. You need to keep it because we need
that passion in these important moments. When it is time to get in good
trouble, fight!”
Here’s the video, captured by Ayla Ahlquist for RIFuture:
After the speeches, protesters staged an unplanned march around the State House. Here’s the video, captured by Ayla Ahlquist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRIl4QvTUFc
Here’s drone footage captured and copyright by Linford
Fisher, passed onto me by Betsy Alper, used with permission:
India Point Park
“No Kings is a national day of action and mass mobilization
in response to the increasing authoritarian excesses and corruption of the
Trump Administration,” said Lev Poplow from Indivisible
RI. “We have watched as they have cracked down on free speech, detained
people for their political positions, threatened to deport American citizens,
and defy the courts. They’ve done this all while continuing to serve and enrich
their billionaire allies. They think they rule, but we are bigger than their
worst aspirations. We will rise together to show Trump and his posse that we
will not be cowed.
“I want to remind anybody who feels scared or hopeless that
you are not alone. Together, we will push away that darkness, and we will shine
rays of hope from sea to shining sea, because today, No King’s Day, is going to
be one of the biggest and most widespread days of peaceful protest in American
history,” concluded Poplow. “Every day you show up, write letters, sign
petitions, and make calls, you fight for justice, dignity, and our country
where everyone can thrive. I am honored to stand with you.”
Here’s the video:
Here’s drone footage captured and copyright by Linford
Fisher, passed onto me by Betsy Alper, used with permission:
“I stand here as the daughter of a Navy veteran who signed
up four weeks after Pearl Harbor and left school and left Rhode Island. You
know what he did, along with all the other men and women who signed up? He
defended this country and its principles,” said Carol Costa,
executive director of the Senior Agenda Coalition of Rhode Island. “They
went there to liberate the oppressed. They went there to protect the liberties
enshrined in our Constitution. And do you know who they did it for? Not for a
despot, not for a dictator, and certainly not for a king, because in America,
there are no kings. Say it with me. There are no kings.”
“I’m here to talk about our older adults. Here’s what’s
going on right now: They are attacking the systems that support our aging
population and our adults with disabilities, and that impacts the wellbeing of
everyone. You don’t have to be able to be affected by this. We all must be
aware that in what I call the cabal of cruelty, they have put social security,
Medicare, and Medicaid on the chopping block.
“It’s a frightening reality, and it’s one that we can and will not abide. So let’s make sure they know. Hands off our social security, hands off our Medicare, hands off our Medicaid, and hands off our future.”
“I’m here today to speak to you about the way the fascists
in DC are attacking higher education and K-12 education,” said Mikaila Arthur, Rhode
Island College’s Union president and sociology professor. “As with every
issue, these attacks just keep coming, so I’ll focus on some of the hardest
hits.
“The fascists in D.C. are demolishing federal funding for
education, including the Department of Education itself. This means cutting
funding for teacher training, educating children with disabilities, financial
aid for college students, tutoring, and many other essential programs. Pell
Grants, named for and sponsored by former Rhode Island Senator Claiborne
Pell, are a key target for cuts that hurt our students and our state’s
legacy.
“And they’re demolishing funding for research, too. Research
grants aren’t gifts. They are contracts between the federal government and
universities - contracts that make possible developments like GPS, LASIK
surgery, and cancer treatment. They want to prevent developments like these in
the future.
“The fascists in D.C. are denying immigrant and foreign
students access to education. This means raiding elementary schools to imprison
children, barring the most promising young people from around the world from
coming to the U.S. to contribute to our future and their own, and interrupting
the education of college students already in the country. Even the Secretary of
Education, Linda McMahon, acknowledged that international students
benefit our country, but the fascists in D.C. aren’t interested in those
benefits. They are interested in denying the possibility of a better future.
“The fascists in D.C. are destroying access to knowledge,
banning books and lessons that teach our young people how to think critically
about history, tell the truth about the reality of inequality and oppression in
our society, and expose students to diverse and relevant perspectives. They
want to prevent us from knowing the truth about the history of slavery and
genocide in our country and our world, about the reality of gender inequality,
and the impacts of climate change on our future.
“What does this devastation mean for us here in Rhode
Island? Let’s consider a few examples: The cuts to federal financial aid will
significantly reduce access to higher education for thousands of Rhode Island
students, depriving them and their families, the very people who build our
state’s future, of opportunities, ultimately shrinking our economy.
“The cuts to research funding will decimate jobs and destroy
futures in some of Rhode Island’s most important industries like biotech, ocean
science, and medicine, leading to layoffs and financial losses on a major
scale.
“The bans on international students will decimate the
innovation, creativity, and financial contributions of amazing people from
around the world who come to Rhode Island, folks who contribute over $270
million a year to our economy and make up over a third of those studying at
the Rhode Island School of Design.
“The threats to curriculum will decimate our state’s
potential, reducing the critical thinking skills necessary for solving our most
pressing problems, the knowledge necessary for robust civic engagement, and the
understanding necessary for working and living in diverse communities. Is this
good for Rhode Island? No, but you can speak out nationally and locally to
fight for a better future at the national level.
“You can visit aft.org/action to easily write to members of
our congressional delegation and urge their support for both K-12 and higher
education. At the local level, get involved in defending our communities. Go to
your next school committee meeting, which might even be this coming week, and
consider speaking at the meeting or even running for school committee to help
ensure that all kids in Rhode Island have access to high quality curricula that
reflect the diversity of our contemporary world, meet kids’ emotional and
social needs, and are not censored by reactionaries.
“And pay attention this summer and fall because if the
anti-education folks in D.C. get their way, we will need voices here in Rhode
Island asking our state senators and representatives to ensure that students
don’t lose access to higher education when Pell Grants are caught or federal
aid is withheld to ensure that our state senators and representatives know we
expect them to protect educational opportunity and curricular options here in
our state at the K-12 and higher education levels.
“As far back as Thomas Jefferson, American thinkers have observed that it is education that is the foundation of preserving our freedom and that education provides the tools for democratic citizenship. This is why the fascists in D.C. want to control education, because by controlling education, they control our minds. It is our job not to let them.”
“A couple of weeks ago I was in our capital with several
people from all over our nation and there was a woman who was a veteran who
shared a story of her child who is only five years old and due to her child’s
condition, she has to get a special formula for her child to eat, not regular
food. She said that the formula costs $1,500 a month, where Medicaid covers
half of that, and she has to come up with the other half. And she said, based
on this big, ugly bill that might be passed, her child, who’s only five years
old, may die. Is this what America looks like?
“57 years ago, the great late prophet by the name of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said that the greatness of America is the right to protest. As I came here this morning, I heard the news covering what potentially could happen, and they were speaking of the possibility of violence. But I don’t see violence here today. The prophet Reverend Dr. King emphasized and challenged America to live up to its ideals, treating all citizens with respect and ensuring that everyone has their rights. So here we stand, 57 years later. We are here today to remind the branches of government that this is America. If you have forgotten, we are black, we are white, we are Asian, we are brown, we are young, we are old, we are native, we are straight, we are gay, we are trans. This is what America and democracy look like.” [See video for more]
“I’m the lead at the Yes to Wind campaign for Climate
Action Rhode Island,” said Christian
Roseland. “We are mobilizing to get our state off fossil fuels and onto
clean energy so that we can have a livable climate and future for our children.
“I’m here today to talk about Donald Trump. Let’s be honest:
Trump’s a con man. He’s ripping off America the same way he’s ripped off
everybody who’s worked for him. The plan is to loot the country, and he’s
teamed up with the tech oligarchs and oil companies to do it. They’re looting
our public lands, they’ve already weakened the Clean Air Act and
the Clean Water Act, and they’re coming after everything they can
get their hands on. They’re stealing our and our children’s future.
“The only thing standing in the way of this takeover is our
democracy and our institutions, so Trump plans to break our democracy. One way
this manifests is through the issuance of illegal and unconstitutional
executive orders.
“If I went over every illegal and unconstitutional thing
that Donald Trump has done since he came to office, we’d be here all day.
However, I want to address a significant issue: his illegal executive order
aimed at halting the offshore wind industry and preventing projects that have
already obtained all their necessary federal permits.
“It’s illegal. Let’s be clear about something: The 10th
Amendment to the Constitution, and I know this is a document that Donald Trump
isn’t very familiar with, expressly states that those powers not given to the
federal government are for the states and the people. We in Rhode Island and
New England are deciding our future. We’re making our own decisions to protect
the climate and our oceans and to move to a clean energy future.
“On May 4, 1776, Rhode Island became the first state to declare independence from Great Britain. We kicked one king out 250 years ago. We’re not letting another one come to power.”
“President Trump floats the illusion of strength while
trying to damage our democracy to pay for tax breaks for the 1%,” said Matt Gunnip,
President of SEIU Local 580 representing public servants and
state government employees. “You cannot claim to support the working class if
you take away federal funds for the most needy and give that money to
corporations and billionaires.
“Cuts to Medicaid will take it away from nearly 80 million
people and gut vital services we rely on for our most vulnerable children and
families all over the country. These cuts will fund tax giveaways to
billionaires and corporations. How does taking away healthcare, education, and
home care bring down the cost of groceries? How does it bring down the cost of
housing? How does it bring down the cost of childcare? How is giving more money
to corporations and billionaires going to help the working class? Whose side is
President Trump on? Not the working class.
“Trump’s attempting to dismantle a social safety net that keeps our most vulnerable citizens secure. He’s attempting to turn the clock back on worker, LGBTQ, and immigrant rights. Our federal, state, and local governments are all intertwined. When you make devastating cuts on the federal level, it adds pressure to every level of government, including state and municipal governments that provide the most critical services to people who need them, depend on them, and deserve them, whose lives depend on them.”
“Like a lot of you, I’m a public school kid from grade
school to grad school, and every single day I remember having to recite
the Pledge of Allegiance, and you all know how it ends, ‘with
liberty and justice for all.’ For all, not for the rich people only, not just
for Republicans, ‘liberty and justice for all.’ That means every single one of
us,” said Patrick
Crowley, President of the Rhode Island AFL-CIO.
“My fellow Rhode Islanders, listen to this: We hold these
truths to be self-evident. Number one, Donald J. Trump is not a king. Number
two, Fox News and the right-wing media will not fool me. And third, and most
importantly, the only defense against tyranny, the only thing that has kept
this country alive for as long as it has, is solidarity. That’s us standing
together. That’s us locking arms in defiance of tyranny.
“I got to tell you folks, no one’s coming to help us. There ain’t no knight in shining armor that’s going to fly onto the scene and fix this problem for us. It’s got to take us, every single one of us, all of us working together, because we in the labor movement know that an injury to one is an injury to all. We’re going to make sure that we fight. We’ve been fighting for this country since its founding. We’ve been fighting for democracy since our inception. And we’re going to continue that fight until the day doesn’t end with that guy saying what happens in this country. It happens when we get to say what happens in this country, when we get to decide what America looks like.”
“Neighbors, as I’m sure you have seen over the last several
months, we have had our immigrant neighbors kidnapped off the streets, families
have been separated, there have been wrongful detainments, and there have been
nasty deportations with no due process,” said State
Representative David Morales. “ICE is a rogue agency that does not
deserve a cent of our taxpayer dollars. We will be clear that ICE is not
welcome here in Rhode Island. We stand with our immigrant community, and we
look out for our neighbors.
“But I want us all to know that these attacks are happening
in our backyard. Just a few weeks ago, we had almost a dozen of our Cambodian
neighbors wrongfully detained and thereafter sent out for deportation. We must
be vigilant and prepared. I encourage all of our neighbors to visit the
organizations on the ground that are doing the work. The Olneyville
Neighborhood Association, AMOR, has a hotline. [401-675-1414.] If you
see ICE or anything suspicious in your neighborhood, call that hotline and let
them know. We have to take care of one another and be prepared for what comes
next.
“Just a few days ago, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla was wrongfully removed from a press conference where he questioned the Secretary of Homeland Security. Let’s think about that for a second. If that is the way that they’re treating a sitting U.S. Senator, think about the violence they’re putting on our immigrant neighbors behind closed doors. This is why we’re here: because we are being clear that we will not bow down to any form of fascism or any dictator. These mass raids are a depiction of what happened in Nazi Germany. That is why we are standing together, saying we will not allow history to repeat itself. We’ll not be divided. The responsibility is on us to ensure that anytime you hear terms like illegal alien, you call someone out and you let them know, ‘No, they are humans. They may be undocumented, but they are humans.’”
“We are here today, every one of us, because we love
America. We love the America that is a nation of immigrants, a place of
opportunity, and the hope and dream of people all over the world,” said United States
Senator Jack Reed1 (Democrat, Rhode Island). “We can’t
let that dream die.
“Donald Trump’s plan is pretty simple. Take from the needy
and give to the greedy. You’ve heard my colleagues speak here about the attacks
on Medicaid that could destroy our healthcare system. You’ve listened to my
colleagues discuss the attacks on education that’ll rob young people of the
chance to use their talents to build a bigger and better America. You’ve
learned about and heard of the attacks on SNAP, a food program that
helps feed children and seniors, ensuring they remain strong and healthy. You
have heard about the attacks on science and the promotion of an ignorance
economy because, I think, the President thrives in ignorance.
“We are here today to say, no, you cannot divide us. A
president must unite us. You cannot show contempt for the Constitution, because
it guides us. Oh, and by the way, everyone, every president takes a solemn oath
to preserve and protect the Constitution of the United States. Not to ignore it
as he has done too often. He must know that.
“How are we going to deal with this situation? I’ll tell you
how: The voices of America will always overcome the failures of a President and
our voice from here will resonate with millions of voices across this country
today and the days going forward to demand a country that is based on
opportunity and justice, a president that respects the constitution of the
United States, and a president dedicated to the common good, understanding that
we are a nation of immigrants and threats against our system are no substitute
for ways to make our system fairer and more just.
“From this place, our voice will go forth. On this day, we
celebrate the Army of the United States, which I served in, but let me tell
you, thousands of Americans gave their lives. They didn’t do it so the rich
could get more. They did it so children would get a chance. And we have to
respect that today.
“Finally, I’m going to say something that I think we all believe, from this moment, from this time, from our voices, from our actions, from our consistent dedication, in the immortal words of Dr. King, ‘We shall overcome.’”
Middletown, Rhode Island, from a press release:
On Saturday, June 14, despite the rain, approximately 2,000
residents from across Aquidneck Island and the East Bay gathered at Two Mile
Corner in Middletown for a peaceful Flag Day visibility rally as part of the
global “No Kings / Yes Democracy” day of action. The local
demonstration—organized by Indivisible Island, Islanders for Democracy,
and the Newport Democratic City Committee (Newport Dems)
—was one of over 2,000 coordinated events taking place across the U.S. and
internationally to stand up against authoritarianism and affirm democratic
values.
Participants lined the highly trafficked intersection with
handmade signs, American and Ukrainian flags, and messages in defense of the
Constitution, the rule of law, and free and fair government. With honks of
support from passing drivers and waves from pedestrians, the event sent a clear
message: the American flag belongs to the people, not to would-be strongmen.
“Even without a formal program, our presence here matters,”
said Laura Walker of Indivisible Island and a Portsmouth
resident. “We showed up visibly and vocally to say that we here in the East Bay
and Aquidneck Island reject authoritarianism—and we stand for democracy.” The
Middletown rally was part of a massive national and international response to
what organizers describe as growing attacks on democratic institutions,
including the politicization of public services, erosion of civil liberties,
and efforts to consolidate power in the executive branch. The nationwide mobilization
coincided with a $100 million, taxpayer-funded, military-style celebration
being planned in Washington, D.C.
‘This isn’t about politics—it’s about protecting the system
that protects all of us,” said Tony Pyanoe, a veteran from Newport
and member of the Newport Dems Direct Action Committee. The event builds on a
strong local tradition of peaceful civic engagement, including weekly actions
at the Tiverton Main Rd Overpass and Newport Bridge Brigade, as well as past
rallies in support of Ukraine, public workers, immigrants, and voting rights.
‘We’ll keep showing up—for each other, for democracy, and
the future we believe in,” said Carol Anderheggen, leader of
Islander for Democracy and a Portsmouth resident who has organized past rallies
as the Trump administration continues to overreach to implement an unpopular
Project 2025 agenda.
Warren, Rhode Island
Carol Shedd, Helen Hunt, and Joyce
Katzberg organized their protest outside the Post Office in Warren,
RI, from 12 to 1 pm as part of the broader “No Kings” national protest against
Trump’s reckless and dangerous administration. “Trump has been claiming more
and more power and seeming more like a dictator than a president, and so, when
we heard that NO KINGS event was being held in our small town of Warren, many
of us came out in the rain to join the protest,” said Camille Blaine to me.
Camille also sent me the pictures and video. “There were, at least, 500 people
in attendance. The event was peaceful, and our community rallied together
against the injustices that we feel with Trump’s administration.”