From Paducah to Prestonsburg, Kentuckians gathered at No Kings protests on Saturday to voice dissatisfaction with U.S. President Donald Trump through peaceful demonstration.
Chanting protesters, many carrying hand-crafted signs, lined the streets and sidewalks of downtown Louisville, Lexington, Bowling Green and Paducah on Saturday, as well as in smaller communities across the state. They protested Trump administration policies impacting immigration, health care, reproductive rights, LGBTQ+ rights and much more.
This marked the second nationwide day of No Kings protests, with the first in June also bringing out thousands across Kentucky.
Ahead of the protests, conservative leaders lampooned the gatherings. U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson called them "Hate America" rallies that would bring together "the Marxists, the socialists, the antifa advocates, the anarchists, and the pro-Hamas wing of the far left Democrat Party." But many involved in the protests objected to that sentiment, instead taking a more lighthearted tack.
Bonnie Lynch, a part of Hopkinsville's League of Women Voters, was among the protesters gathered in front of the Christian County Justice Center Saturday in western Kentucky.
"Don't listen to all that crazy rhetoric where today was supposed to be a rally of hate. There's no hate out here," she said. "We're having a great old time today because we're about love and getting it along and doing what's best for people, the power of the people."
Costumes were a common theme across the state, either brought from home or handed out by organizers. They came dressed as cows, unicorns, chickens and frogs, like an Oregon demonstrator who got chemical spray fired at them by a federal agent in a viral video earlier this month.
Dressed like a frog and standing with his daughter, Alex Thompson was among the thousands gathered outside Lexington's downtown courthouse.
"When you look at all the boards and posters and signs, the message is clear. But I feel like they need to have that lightheartedness, because otherwise it's easy to misinterpret it, because in the news and all these other outlets and online, you get a completely different message," Thompson said.
As the marchers gathered at the Belvedere in Louisville, 17-year-old Brando Taylor waved and cheered at passing traffic in a white "No Kings" T-shirt he made for the occasion, the letters carefully hand drawn in red and blue permanent marker.
"My top issue is I think, in general, just [Trump] trying to cram himself and everything he can…for him to try to get the power. And it's just not fair to the country and to the people. He's turning it into a fascist government. And that's not okay," Taylor said.
It was Taylor's first protest, as it was for many others at Saturday's demonstration, like 53-year-old Nancy Wine. Wine brought her dog with her for comfort. Wine said she votes in every election, but until recently has been private about her political beliefs.
"I'm not a political person. But I'm concerned with where things are going," Wine said.
In Paducah, where hundreds of protesters lined the sidewalk by the Noble Park gate, people chanted and line danced in the grass as pop music blared from portable speakers.
Others flew the straw hat flag from the popular manga One Piece, which has become a symbol of resistance at political uprisings in countries like Indonesia and Nepal.
There were many generations in the crowds across the state. Sam Kumar and Sarah Hall came into Louisville from Oldham County along with their two children. Kumar said he wanted his boys to "see how democracy functions."
His 10-year-old son Jax Govindarajulu said he wanted to march because he's upset the Trump administration has not released files related to the federal investigation of Jeffrey Epstein, the American financier and child sex offender.
His brother, 8-year-old Ridley Govindarajulu, had a clear opinion of Trump.
"I don't like him, and he's racist," he said.
Scarlett Culp, 10, came with her mother and cousin, choosing to spend her birthday marching. She was disturbed by reports that immigration authorities were removing children from the country.
"All because they weren't born here, and I don't think that's right, and everyone should have their rights," she said.
Demonstrators around the state took issue with the increased, and at times, violent immigration raids happening in places like Chicago and L.A. They say they're concerned about Trump sending the National Guard into cities and weaponizing the U.S. Department of Justice to go after his perceived enemies. More broadly, they expressed concerns with GOP-backed policies and rhetoric around food stamps and housing insecurity.
Chris Ash, a 64 year-old Paducahan holding a sign with the words "Not Your Granddaddy's GOP" on it, said the rally was the first political protest he had ever participated in.
"I think of all the disparagement of foreign countries and people from foreign countries and it's moved me," Ash said. "I was a journalist most of my career. Never got involved with politics. Never went to any rallies. I'm not a journalist anymore. I'm a store clerk and I'm free to do something like this if I feel like I should, and I do."
One of the most repeated concerns from protesters was the uptick in immigration raids.
Immigration wasn't far from the minds of Hopkinsville protesters, who gathered at the Christian County Justice Center. Immediately across a parking lot stands the county jail, which could be a potential location for Immigration and Customs Enforcement to house up to 100 detainees after the Christian County Fiscal County authorized an agreement with ICE in September. It joined nine other facilities across the state that are currently accepting ICE detainees.
Bennett Clark is a member of the Lexington's Democratic Socialists of America chapter.
"Everyone in America, who's in the physical location of America, is entitled to our constitutional rights," Clark said. "Just because you're an undocumented migrant doesn't mean you can take their rights away and kidnap them off the street and send them back to countries that they're not even from."
Bowling Green is the home of the International Center of Kentucky, which helps resettle immigrants across the region. Protesters there marched through part of the city's downtown to the Warren County Justice Center, chanting anti-Trump slogans and carrying signs with messages like "No Kings Since 1776" and "We Are All Immigrants."
Kay Whitt, an Allen County resident who works in Bowling Green, was in attendance Saturday. She said she believes the nation's immigrants are among those suffering the most.
"I think it's the immigrants that are working here legally, with visas, with green cards, being arrested and deported with no due process, with their families not being told where they are," she said.
Bruce Voth, a U.S. Army veteran who lives in Elkton, came to the Hopkinsville protest carrying an American flag.
Voth said he joined the army to fight for those who can't fight for themselves, and now it's become politicized. He said being at the protest as a veteran means everything.
"I believe all veterans stand for the flag," Voth said. "They stand for freedom, and that's what this is all about. It's all about freedom. In my view, it's not against Trump, it's not against Biden, it's not against anybody. It's against the idea of having a king, and I believe that is the direction that our current administration is trying to take our country."
In Bowling Green, Claudia Hanes also held a huge version of the American flag upside-down and emblazoned with the words "One Nation Under Distress."
"This is the only way we have right now to say, 'we dissent, we disagree.' Our Congress is sitting on their asses, excuse my French, and the branches of our checks and balances are all failing," Hanes said. "And we're the last step, and we're out here today to say, "you gotta come through us, you have to finally answer to us.'
Though organizers across the state were pleased with their turnouts, many are hopeful that demonstrations like Saturdays can spur larger movement in the future.
"One rally is not going to make all the difference in the world," Hopkinsville organizer Victoria Keith said. "But it does indicate that we are growing as a population who are willing to speak out."
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