‘No Kings’ protests break out nationwide, including in Mid-Missouri, as protesters call for change
Keriana Gamboa
(Columbia, Jefferson City MO)
Protests tied to the ‘No Kings’ Rally movement broke out across the country on Saturday, with demonstrators calling out the actions taken by President Donald Trump’s administration.
The rallies were also held in response to the Trump administration hosting an Army 250th anniversary parade in Washington, D.C., on the same day as President Donald Trump’s birthday.
The movement reached Mid-Missouri, with rallies held in Columbia and Jefferson City. In Boonville, hundreds of protesters gathered outside the Cooper County Courthouse, while in Jefferson City and Columbia, roughly 1,000 demonstrators assembled at the steps of the Missouri State Capitol.
Protesters called for President Trump to be “dethroned,” comparing his actions to those of a monarch, rather than a democratically elected leader.
Political leaders also joined the demonstrations. Re. David Tyson Smith (D-Columbia) attended the protest in Columbia, while congressional candidate Jordan Herrera was present at the rally in Jefferson City.
“The people of Missouri are fed up, and that’s Republicans and Democrats. We’re going to push back against our democracy that’s being ripped from us right in front of our eyes,” Smith said.
“That’s what today is about. We’re talking about the violations of freedom of speech, the violations of freedom to peaceably assemble, to express oneself, and to protest against a tyrannical government,” Herrera said.
Missouri is among at least three other states that activated the National Guard in response to recent protests against the Trump administration. However, Herrera said that the rallies in Jefferson City were not escalated by the Law enforcement there, and protesters remained peaceful throughout the day.
“There was absolutely no amplification from the government, from Governor Kehoe at all. All we saw this week was an unnecessary amplification and posturing of forces, activation of the National Guard,” Herrera said.
‘We Stand United Missouri’ spokesperson Sue Rodgers said that they worked with the Jefferson City police and later thanked them for going to the event.
“Well, basically, they’re informed of what we’re doing. And so they’ve they come around just kind of take a look, see everything’s okay…So they know they know the group now they know how we act and they know what we work on,” said Rodgers.
ABC 17 News did not see any counter protests at any of the protests Saturday.
ABC 17 News also reached out to the National Guard to confirm whether they were present at any of the protests.