The rally drew thousands of attendees and featured a speech by U.S. Representative Mike Thompson
By MICHELLE BEKHTEL, GIA LOOMIS — city@theaggie.org
On Oct. 18, the “No Kings” rally and march took place at Civic Central Park in Davis, as part of a nationwide act to call for more restrictions on President Donald Trump’s power. This rally was organized by Indivisible Yolo, a grassroots organization aimed at promoting progressive policies, and Davis Phoenix Coalition, an organization devoted to community building and embracing diversity.
The rally began with a march through Downtown Davis with around 4,800 attendees, according to a speech made by Gloria Partida, a city councilmember and co-founder of the Davis Phoenix Collection.
The first nationwide “No Kings” rally took place on June 14, with the closest local rally occurring in Woodland and consisting of nearly 4,000 attendees. The protest’s main focus was to come together as a community, in opposition to the Trump administration and with the goal of upholding democracy.
This month’s “No Kings” rally resembled the previous protest, this time with a focus on the theme “We the People.” The Davis march was not the only protest with a large attendance; the “No Kings” cause drew over seven million people at 2,700 rallies across the country.
After thousands of attendees marched the streets of Downtown Davis, several speakers took the stage, including United States Representative Mike Thompson. Thompson led a “No Throne! No Crown! No King!” cheer, rallying the crowd. After the chant, Thompson delved into current issues and expressed anti-Trump sentiments.
“Americans are experiencing skyrocketing prices, stagnant wages; gun violence is the No. 1 cause of death for kids and teens,” Thompson said. “The climate’s changing [is] causing all kinds of problems, and, we [have] a wannabe king. Instead of dealing with those things, he’s trampling on our Constitution, and he’s trampling on the will of the people.”
During their speeches, Thompson and other speakers emphasized their critique of Trump’s “kingly” status within the American government.
“You can put all the gold bling you want in the Oval Office,” Thompson said. “But you can’t hide the fact that he’s no king. He’s no king. The wannabe and the [Grand Old Party (GOP)] are out of control, and they’re out of step with the values of the American people.”
Demonstrators showed support for the cause by bringing homemade signs and wearing costumes to the protest. Attendees took a stance on a variety of federal issues, from a protester dressed as the Statue of Liberty to individuals carrying chains to women dressed as Supreme Court justices inspired by Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
The language and imagery on the signs varied, giving insight into people’s interpretation of the “No Kings” cause. Jono Sison, a fourth-year legal studies major at UC Berkeley, wore a dragon costume to the event and held a sign reading “Make Orwell Fiction Again.” Sison explained his inspiration behind the sign, citing literature and current political issues.
“My sign was inspired by everything that’s going on in the country,” Sison said. “From authoritarianism and censoring of speech to a central individual who feels like he can seize all power and spread false information. It was especially inspired by ‘Animal Farm’ by George Orwell and how it talks about authoritarianism, manipulation and propaganda. Trump talks a lot about authoritarianism, and we’ve got to make that fiction again, because it’s a reality right now.”
The rally also gave various local organizations the opportunity to table at the protest in order to spread awareness for their message and engage with the public. One of these organizations was the League of Women Voters of Yolo County (LWV). Michelle Famula, a co-president of LWV, shared how their organization helps support democracy in the community.
“You can summarize the League of Women Voters in two phrases,” Famula said. “One is defending democracy, and the other is encouraging voters.”
Famula emphasized that LWV is a non-partisan organization that defends democracy and helps voters become more knowledgeable about the elections process. At the rally, the LWV was working to educate attendees on how to register and vote in the upcoming election.
Famula also explained that Yolo County ensures students have the opportunity to vote.
“Yolo county opens up an in-person vote center at the [UC Davis] Activities and Recreation Center [ARC],” Famula said. “And, on election day, they take Ballroom A and B.”
Another organization tabling at the event was the Davis College Democrats (DCD). This student-run organization is aimed at educating students about the Democratic Party and encouraging political participation within the UC Davis community. DCD’s Director of Membership, Benicio Orsua, explained their reasoning for tabling at the rally.
“We are tabling here, because we want people to know that the youth want to get involved,” Orsua said. “We want people to know that we aren’t going to put up with this stuff, especially with what’s coming with cuts being made to schools […]; especially with the [University of California (UCs)] right now.”
DCD created a space at the “No Kings” rally that educated and aided younger people in becoming politically involved.
“I do feel like a lot of younger people feel that it’s hard to get involved in politics,” Orsua said. “I feel that they don’t know exactly where to go [to get involved], and that is sort of our goal. We want to make sure that we show up anywhere that youth will be walking by so they know that there are places to get involved with — like DCD.”
The “No Kings” rally was a protest that focused on allowing attendees nationwide to become politically involved in their local community. For more information, visit the “No Kings” website.
Written By: Michelle Bekhtel, Gia Loomis — city@theaggie.org
