MACOMB – Starting at noon, Saturday, June 14 - Flag Day - nearly 400 people lined up along Highway 136 between Chandler Park and the Thomas C. Carper Amtrak Station to protest Donald Trump and his administration.
Bearing signs showing the founding fathers, 'No Kings' messages and more, rallygoers dressed in red, white and blue (and dressed as the Statue of Liberty), and carrying American flags lined the street, chanting 'Fascism is unAmerican!' and 'No Kings! No Kings! No Kings!'
The Macomb protest was among thousands of demonstrations organized as part of the No Kings protests across America. Millions of protestors gathered in parks, town squares and city streets in each of the 50 states to demonstrate against Trump and the military parade planned for the same day in Washington D.C. to celebrate the 250th Anniversary of the U.S. Army (and which coincided with his 79th birthday). According to protest organizers, including the Indivisible Movement, the 50501 movement and the ACLU, the parade was interpreted as 'an excuse to celebrate his (Trump's) own birthday and to make a show of authoritarian dominance and force.'
The No Kings protestors claimed that several policies from the second Trump administration violate several of the U.S.
Constitution’s limitations on presidential power and protections on American civil rights. Issues highlighted included the Trump administration’s defiance of court orders, detention and deportation of people without due process of law, and recent deployment of the National Guard against protestors in Los Angeles. No Kings also criticized the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) for the mass firing of civil servants and slashing of federal funding for programs, like Medicaid and the NIH.
DOGE is currently being sued for these actions, which lawyers have argued violate the Appointments Clause and Article I of the Constitution.
The McDonough County Democrats worked with the national groups to organize the Macomb iteration of the No Kings protest. 'We were able to reach out to so many people through advertising, digital means and good old word of mouth,' noted Richard Marcott, a representative for the McDonough County Democrats. 'Participants came from across all walks of life, including teachers, parents, students, veterans, builders and tradespeople. These protests were not in any way against the U.S. military; rather, the protests are about protecting the very thing which servicemen and women all take an oath to defend: the U.S.
Constitution.'
A small pro-Trump counter- protest appeared at the corner of North Randolph Street and Highway 136, in the parking lot of the Dollar General. Connie Atchinson told The Community News Brief she thought it was 'strange and uncalled for that so many people were demonstrating against Donald Trump' and accusing him of being a king.
'His military parade in DC is an entirely appropriate way to celebrate the U.S. Army, and that nothing he's done in the course of his second administration has gone beyond what a president should,' Atchison said. 'He’s just trying to do what he was elected to do.'
The Community News Brief also reached out to Gwynne Worthington, chair of the McDonough County Republicans. She did not respond for a request for comments on the rallies and parade by press time.
