Cincinnati is expecting another large ‘No Kings’ protest on Oct. 18, this time at Smale Riverfront Park.
Thousands marched through the streets of Clifton on June 14 for the first ‘No Kings’ protest. An estimated 5 million people participated in a‘No Kings’ protest across the country, the same day as President Donald Trump’s military parade in Washington D.C.
“Trump’s birthday parade was drowned out by protests in every state and across the globe,” reads the ‘No Kings’ website. “His attempt to turn June 14 into a coronation collapsed, and the story became the strength of a movement rising against his authoritarian power grabs.”
Organizers say Saturday’s protest is about Trump’s actions since returning to office, particularly the use of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to carry out his mass deportation goals.
“His administration is sending masked agents into our streets, terrorizing our communities,” the ‘No Kings’ website reads. “They are targeting immigrant families, profiling, arresting and detaining people without warrants.”
The website goes on to list healthcare policy, redistricting, gun laws and other policy areas as reasons for the estimated 2,500 protests planned across all 50 states this weekend.
Nationally, ‘No Kings’ is organized by varying groups, including the ACLU, American Federation of Teachers, 50501, Human Rights Campaign, Indivisible and more. The main organizer of the Smale Riverfront Park protest is 50501 Cincinnati, which has organized several protests in Cincinnati since the start of Trump’s second term.
While the June protest included a march that temporarily shut down some streets in Clifton, Ben Barden, an organizer for 50501 Cincinnati, told CityBeat this weekend’s protest will not include a march. Barden confirmed to CityBeat that organizers do not have any official permits for the event, but that organizers have contacted “the relevant city authorities and have received positive communication in response.”
The ‘No Kings’ protest is scheduled to run from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Smale Riverfront Park at The Banks.