“This was twice the size as June’s ‘No Kings’ rally,” said Robert Shiffley, who wore a bright yellow T-shirt that read “Peaceful Organizer,” identified as a volunteer from one of several organizations responsible for the event, as he was guiding traffic that by 10:30 a.m. had already backed up.
High temperatures didn’t keep people away during the Valley’s summer “No Kings” rally but Saturday’s protest drew twice the number of people according to event managers and not only because it was cooler—but because the intense and damaging results of the Trump administration policies has taken full hold.
Saturday’s demonstration felt like a street party with purpose and the theme was, “of the same mind” as people stopped, read one another’s signs, high-fived, hugged and shared stories about how the Trump administration has upended their lives and angered them to the point of boycotts, protests, mobilization while living in the “daily embarrassment and shame in front of the world that Donald Trump is the U.S. President.”
Northeast Valley News asked one man who preferred not to be identified about his sign that read, “Trump destroyed my parents’ minds, don’t let Trump destroy America too.”
The man was visibly upset when he described how Trump and his policies have completely destroyed his relationship with his parents and they haven’t spoken for a few years now.
“My mom has completely lost it over her support of Trump, and there’s no reasoning with them; we have no contact now—there’s just no reaching them.”
Directly in front of the Arizona Capitol building, one protester raised a sign showing federal agents arresting Jesus.
The woman, “Kristi,” told Northeast Valley News why she chose this sign.
The stark image was meant to symbolize what she calls the moral hypocrisy behind ICE’s immigration raids. She says the agency isn’t going after dangerous criminals but instead “Arresting people of color without distinction.”
Portland was on the minds of many protestors as they came to recognize it as a city of courage for the way in which they have responded to Trump’s deployment of the National Guard and other military and policing agencies on a peaceful city.
Many protesters echoed Portland’s bravery as an “honorable spirit” with peaceful, even lighthearted, resistance.
One demonstrator explained that the significance of the “resistance frog” symbol at the Portland protests represents the peaceful nature of protesters against the Trump administration’s portrayal of them as aggressors.
“I believe it first appeared in Portland, and I just kinda wanted to bring that same spirit to Phoenix.”
A young protester, Daryn, expressed gratitude that she is able to attend the “No Kings” rally and told Northeast Valley News, “I don’t like what’s going on. I don’t feel right, just sitting home watching this just unfold, and not…you know, I have the privilege to come out and protest, so I’m going to use that privilege to come out!”
Another girl said, “I am able to get up and go to the protest, so, like, why wouldn’t I? I’m seeing all this stuff. Like, I’m posting about it, so it’s, like, I feel like if you’re posting about it, you could also be there physically if you can. And it’s just, like, if you’re seeing stuff that you don’t like, like, the ICE raids and him having meetings with Netanyahu, it’s like, if you’re seeing that stuff, and you disagree with it, go out and say something and make it known that you disagree with it. So they’re seeing, like, the pushback of it, and they’re probably not gonna get any supporters in the future.”
Annamohr-Almeida was wearing a red inflatable that read, “No kings” and “Bella ciao,” signifying the fascist resistance in WWII.
Almeida fears for her future and the future of the environment under Trump.
Many protestors that Northeast Valley News spoke with shared their thoughts on coming in with a mindset of wanting to keep things peaceful while also practicing their rights under the First Amendment.
A Valley married couple, Christine and Todd, were wearing frog and eagle inflatables and expressed concerns for the future generations and offered some words of encouragement for the youth.
“Get involved young before you’re jaded or cynical. You know? If you want things to be a certain way and represent your values, you have to speak up, you have to get involved early,” Todd said.
Many seniors were marching and chanting with signs that read, “I thought my protest days were over in the 60’s.”
“Hey, I’m here during my so-called “golden years” fighting fascism. I would have never thought I would see this in America. But it’s here,” said 75-year-old Cassandra Murphy of Foothills.
