On Saturday, June 14, “No Kings” protests took place across the country, attracting millions nationwide.
Locally, in Atlantic City, Ocean City and Cape May Court House, demonstrations were organized by members of community organizations and drew thousands at each location.
The rallies took place during the military parade in Washington D.C to mark the Army’s 250th anniversary, which also coincides with President Donald Trump’s birthday.
According to its website, “No Kings” is described as “a nationwide day of defiance… taking action to reject authoritarianism — and show the world what democracy really looks like.”
‘No Kings’ in Ocean City
About 1000 protesters took over Ocean City’s Ninth Street Bridge from Ocean City to the Welcome Center.
Jenny Harris, a part-time resident, was visiting her home at the Shore and decided to check out the town’s protest and was blown away by the participation.
“The collective feelings of love for our country and frustration over the horror that has been taking place under this administration, was overwhelmingly palpable,” Harris said. “The air was charged with solidarity. It was quite moving, especially all the honking cars that were passing by and showing their support.”
Harris said she went to raise awareness and express opposition to “the dangerous things that Trump has been doing, things like abuse of executive and military power and defiance of federal courts.”
“The list goes on. So we really just wanted to be there with like minded people and show our support,” she said. “The bridge was loaded and everybody was just very civil and kind. It was just peaceful and loving. It really was. It was just a very positive experience.”
Another perspective
RJ Gauld, a part-time Ocean City resident, was also there. Gauld said he wouldn’t describe himself as a “Trumper,” but says does agree with most of what the current president is doing. He said he’s an average Republican guy who listens to MSNBC, CNN and Fox, and supports everyone’s First Amendment right to protest.
When Gauld got there, with his Trump hat on, he walked around. His goal wasn’t to make a scene, he said he just wanted to listen and observe. His hat wasn’t a red “Make America Great Again” one, like those that could be picked out in the crowd; It did say “Trump” on it, but the name was camouflaged as the Ford logo.
Gauld said people weren’t aware that he was a Trump supporter as he walked along the bridge with his bike and its speaker playing music, like “God Bless the USA” and “YMCA.”
He was able to make his way through the crowd peacefully while protesters danced to his music.
Eventually, a woman noticed the song and knew it was associated with Trump and that’s when others around him saw his hat and started screaming and getting in his face. He then moved along and walked to the top of the bridge and back without getting a reaction from anyone.
Ken Wilson
When Gauld got back to the end of the bridge, he saw another man with a red Trump hat on and stood next to him. He said he was also beside a husband and wife, who kept kicking his bike tire and saying he was infringing on her space.
Gauld said she then turned to him and started yelling, leading to more people surrounding them.
Among them, a woman with a mask, hoodie and sunglasses on, came up to him and started yelling.
“She just unloaded on me, calling me all kinds of names, telling me my body parts were small and I’m not a man. And she reached into the basket of my bike and tried to grab the speaker,” said Gauld. “There was a cop standing there, and he grabbed her and told her to walk away. And she did.”
‘No Kings’
in Atlantic City
In Atlantic City, the protest included a march from Missouri Avenue on the Boardwalk at 1 p.m. and traveled to Albany Avenue, where the group exited the Boardwalk and concluded with a rally at O’Donnell Park at 2 p.m.
Indivisible’s Atlantic City chapter partnered with local organizations such as NAACP, El Pueblo Unido of Atlantic City, the Atlantic County Queer Alliance, among several others.
Alice Carcilli, a group leader for Indivisible Atlantic City, said the organization sent an email out about five weeks beforehand announcing the mass mobilization to show contrast between the military parade in D.C.
“They also wanted people to come out to celebrate the flag, because it was Flag Day, and there is a strong feeling that the flag was co-opted by the MAGA movement. So it was taking back the flag, and it was really just to celebrate democracy and what our democracy should look like everywhere in the United States, except for Washington, D.C.,” said Carcilli. “They felt that it has gone too far, that Trump was using our tax dollars to pay for his birthday party, meanwhile, Republicans claim there’s no money for Social Security, SNAP or Medicaid.”
Julia is a recent Rider University graduate, where she studied multiplatform journalism and social media strategies. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, trying new coffee shops, photography and the beach. She can be reached at juliatrainmedia@gmail.com or connect with her on Instagram @juliatrain
