[PHOTOS] Thousands Attend Cincinnati’s “No Kings” Protest Against Trump Administration

As President Donald Trump celebrated the United States Army’s birthday (and his own) in Washington, D.C. on Saturday, thousands turned out for the “No Kings protest in Cincinnati, organized by 50501 Cincinnati.

Starting at the University of Cincinnati, an estimated 8,000 demonstrators marched through the streets of Clifton to Burnett Woods. Chants of, “This is what democracy looks like!” rang out among homemade signs that took direct jabs at Trump, including:

“VOTE 4 RAPIST, EXPECT 2 GET FUCKED”

“JUSTICE AND TRUTH MATTER”

“NO KINGS…EVER”
The protest in Cincinnati was one of nearly 2,000 held across the United States in response to a number of Trump administration policies and actions that have engulfed the American consciousness over the past six months.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids and subsequent protests in Los Angeles have compounded months of controversy over immigration control, playing a major part in Saturday’s protests.

“They’re tearing kids out of classrooms. They’re threatening to tear kids out of our public streets and grocery stores. We have people in need that are being harmed every single day, and this country was built by immigrants,” one high school teacher, who asked to remain anonymous, told CityBeat at the protest.

Brian Griffin, executive secretary-treasurer of Cincinnati AFL-CIO Labor Council, delivered an impassioned speech to the large crowd of protesters.

“This is democracy under attack, and I’ll say it, 47 is not acting like a president. He is behaving like a king. I’ll tell you, we were worried about rain today. Well, I’m thinking about R-E-I-G-N: we will have no reign today!” Griffin exclaimed.

Nancy Sullivan, a community organizer for Transformations CDC, opened her speech by telling the story of one of the four men arrested during an ICE raid at the Warsaw Avenue Kroger in East Price Hill on May 31.

“He went in to get ice, ironically, at Kroger and they picked him up in the parking lot,” she said. “[He has] a significant amount of education and he is locked up. So, this is the kind of person that this happens to all the time. It’s not criminal. It is not a rapist.”

Excitement and passion coursed through the protest, but there was also a somber feeling. Speakers shared stories about transgender children who have lost their lives as a result of targeted policies and hateful rhetoric. There was also a moment of silence for four Democrats who were shot early Saturday morning in Minnesota. State Rep. Melissa Hortman — the top Democrat in the Minnesota House — and her husband were shot and killed Saturday in a “politically motivated assassination,” according to Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. Authorities say another shooting by the same man injured State Sen. John Hoffman and his wife; they are alive and expected to recover, authorities tell CNN. A manhunt is underway for the suspect, identified by authorities as 57-year-old Vance Boelter.

News of escalating conflict between Iran and Israel also preceded Saturday’s protest. The countries exchanged waves of deadly missile strikes Friday into Saturday.

Laila Shaikh, founder of Students for Justice in Palestine UC, and co-founder of Young United Souls for Revolutionary Action (YUSRA) addressed protesters on the conflict unfolding in the Middle East.

“Our government has decided to take away funding from the universities and the schools and give it to foreign aid to build the bombs and bomb hospitals and mosques and places of worship and schools,” Shaikh said, prompting a loud reaction from protesters.

“I firmly believe that silence is violence when we see things that are immoral going on in our community, where people are being devalued,” said Kevin Woodcutter, an attendee of the protest. “It’s up to us as the good citizens of America to stand up, be loud for the people that can’t speak out, and come together as one group and one united people to say, ‘We’re better than that.’ We can overcome hate with love, and our country will prevail.”

Bendci Vargas contributed to this report.
Photos by Lucas Griffith.