“NO KINGS IN THE USA”: Thousands gathered in Princeton’s Monument Park on Saturday afternoon under the watchful eye of George Washington (represented on the Princeton Battle Monument) to protest the authoritarianism of President Trump and to call for a revival of democracy in the U.S. (Photo by Phil McAuliffe)
By Donald Gilpin
Thousands of high-spirited demonstrators filled Princeton’s Monument Park on Saturday afternoon, October 18 for a No Kings Day II rally to protest actions and policies of the Trump administration.
Princeton’s second No Kings Day, following a similar demonstration in Monument Park four months ago, was part of a nationwide No Kings Day of Action that NoKings.org organizers called “one of the largest single-day nationwide demonstrations in U.S. history, with nearly seven million Americans in over 2,700 cities and towns, standing together in nonviolent defiance of authoritarianism and affirming that this nation belongs to its people, not to kings.”
In the shadow of the park’s Princeton Battle Monument and spreading out to the edges of the park and along Stockton Street, many in the crowd carried flags, banners, or placards. The mood was mixed, lighthearted at times and festive, but also serious — and occasionally angry.
It was a diverse crowd, including many Princeton residents, but also many who had come into town from surrounding parts of the state. Older participants — Baby Boomers and Generation X — predominated, but the ages ranged widely and many parents brought their children.
“I think it’s important for children to see that peaceful protest is a very important part of our country,” said a father attending with his 12-year-old son and 4-year-old daughter.
“As a mother, I feel like it’s so important to show the next generation that there’s still hope, that we can fight back against this,” said Lori from West Windsor, who had come with her 17-year-old daughter. “We can show that there is power in numbers. We can all come together and make a change.”
Her daughter Olivia added, “I’m going to be 18 soon, so a lot of this does affect me. Also since I’m of mixed race this is definitely acute. I wanted to come because I’ve never come to a protest before, and I wanted to show support for everybody in my community, and also I don’t like this government.”
“I’m here to protest the tyranny of the Trump administration and to help ensure that democracy prevails,” said West Windsor resident Frank DiGiacomo. “As long as we keep applying pressure, as long as the number of people showing up continues to grow, as long as the administration continues to inflict pain and suffering on thousands and millions of Americans, we will prevail.”
“I’m here to support the No Kings event,” said Lawrence resident Brydie Calkin, barely visible behind a large blue “No Kings” banner she was holding. “I believe that America was founded by a group of individuals that had a bold idea to start a country that was for the people and by the people. I’d like to see us get back to that. That’s what I’ve always believed.”
“I am enraged by what I see in this country,” said Princeton lawyer Hanna Isaacs. “I am not alone, of course, but I feel it deeply. I believe in the Constitution, and we have a president and a cabinet and supporters who are intent on destroying what has worked for 250 years. It’s outrageous, and I’m wondering why there aren’t protests in the street every day. We have to be here.”
“I’m here because sometimes you feel helpless, but at least we can do this and vote, and that’s what’s important,” said Princeton resident Moshe Margolin.
Robert Dick, a Lawrence Township resident carrying a large sign reading “No Kings Since 1776,” emphasized, “I don’t think we should be the servants of billionaires. I want to make sure that our government doesn’t just satisfy billionaires and the needs of billionaires.”
Many of the signs and placards summed up the participants’ sentiments and the key themes of the event: “Liberty and Justice for All,” “Veterans Fighting Fascism,” ”Hate Will Not Make Us Great,” “This is the Guy that Our Founding Fathers Warned Us About,” “We Love America,” “The Power of the People is Greater than the People in Power,” and more. And there were some clever costumes, like the eight-foot-tall polar bear carrying a sign reading ”Chill Out ICE — No Kings” and the young girl dressed as a butterfly with a poster reading “The Only Monarch We Want.”
Co-sponsored by the Coalition for Peace Action (CFPA), Indivisible Princeton, ACLU-NJ, and the Princeton Community Democratic Organization, the event continued from 2 to 4 p.m. under sunny skies and featured a dozen speakers and performers from many different organizations.
Princeton Mayor Mark Freda led off the proceedings followed by CFPA Executive Director the Rev. Robert Moore, Westminster Presbyterian Church of Trenton Pastor Karen Hernandez-Granzen, Climate Revolution Executive Director Ben Dzobiec, ACLU-NJ Director of Appellate Advocacy Ezra Rosenberg, NJ League of Conservation Voters Environmental Justice Policy Associate Milena Bimpong, Bayard Rustin Center Nonviolence Advocate Samuel Chawla-Rios, N.J. State Sen. Andrew Zwicker, Resistencia en Accion NJ Vice President Dave Schraeger, and musicians Sharleen Leahy and Ken Freeden.
The Princeton Police Department (PPD) estimated a crowd size of about 2,000 based on the observations of the six or seven officers patrolling, assisted by videos, surveillance cameras, and a drone camera.
PPD Lieutenant Thomas Lagomarsino stated that there were no incidents to report. Police officials “helped people cross the street, making sure people were safe entering and exiting the park.” He added, “Everything went smoothly. There were no issues at all.”
The major traffic concern in town was some back-up on 206/Stockton Street as passing drivers slowed down during the rally to participate by blowing their horns in support.
Moore, who was a lead organizer and emcee for the event, thought the crowd was about 5,000, larger than the number at the June 14 No Kings rally, which was reported at 3,500. Another speaker estimated about 7,000 in attendance on Saturday.
Comparing last weekend’s event to Princeton’s June 14 No Kings Day, Moore, who presided over both rallies, observed, “There was more passion on Saturday, more of a sense that this country is going in the wrong direction. It’s getting worse instead of better since June 14.”
Noting the current deployment of American soldiers in American cities, Moore cited studies indicating that U.S. society will continue to trend towards autocracy “unless we the people stand up to it and reverse it.”
He continued, “This time people felt more deeply that this problem is not going to quickly or easily resolve itself. Enough of us need to keep doing these kinds of actions. Instead of standing back, we have to stand up. We can’t let Trump intimidate us into being too afraid to do what we think is right.”
Amidst the grim current situation he sees in this country, Moore expressed optimism in response to the No Kings rally and other resistance to the administration’s actions. “I was encouraged to see that some reputable news outlets are saying that this was the largest mobilization in 50 years,” he said. “When Trump sees that, I think it’s going to give him pause. There will be more pressure building. This is going to keep happening.”