Round 2 of the national “No Kings” protests, including several across Northeast Florida, saw millions of participants again show their disdain for President Donald Trump and his alarming consolidation of power.
The events are to mobilize in mass by speaking out against authoritarian policies and show the world that America has no kings, but rather the power belongs to the people. From rural towns to major cities, coalition leaders underscored the movement’s commitment to non-violent and lawful protest, rejecting the distractions spread by Republican leaders shifting blame for their ongoing government shutdown.
At least 2,500 coordinated protests took place nationwide. The main one in Jacksonville began with a 2 p.m. march from the Friendship Fountain to the Duval County Courthouse where thousands rallied into the early evening. Many during the march chanted repeat verses such as “Hey, hey, ho, ho, Donald Trump has got to go.”
In an early estimate, it appeared to be more than the first gathering in June. By 5 p.m. local authorities hadn’t reported any major issues with the event or agitators causing confrontations. Trump supporters did have a plane fly overhead with a banner displaying “Duval for Trump.”
Others included St. Augustine at the Castillo de San Marcos National Monument, St. Johns County at U.S. 1 and Race Track Road, Orange Park at Blanding Boulevard and Kingsley Avenue, Fernandina Beach at Eighth and Lime streets and Neptune Beach at the Beaches Branch Library.
The first “No Kings” protest took place on June 14 coinciding with Trump’s birthday and a military parade marking the Army’s 250th anniversary. Organizers said the peaceful event drew over 5 million participants at about 2,100 events nationwide, making it one of the largest mass protests in U.S. history.
Afterward, national organizers of one of the largest single-day nationwide demonstrations in U.S. history said nearly 7 million Americans gathered for Round 2, about 2 million more than June.
“Today, millions of Americans stood together to reject authoritarianism,” said Ezra LevinandLeah Greenberg, co-founders of Indivisible. “Authoritarians want us to believe resistance is futile, but every person who turned out today proved the opposite. This movement isn’t about a single protest, it’s about a growing chorus of Americans who refuse to be ruled. Trump may want a crown, but in this country, there are no kings.”
(This story has been updated with updated estimates and a quote.)
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Mass Jacksonville crowd joins No Kings display of disdain for Trump