Behind The Scenes of the No Kings protest in Richmond, Virginia
Image Credit: Mac Colomb
Last weekend, as Donald Trump held a parade to celebrate his 79th birthday, millions across the country joined together in protest of recent I.C.E raids, the deployment of the National Guard in California and other human rights violations–particularly impacting communities of color and the queer community.
Thousands gathered in Richmond,Va, in Capitol Square outside of the Governor’s Mansion. The crowd sprawled the entire expanse of the lawn, and excited chatter filled the space. Typically, Richmond does not see this kind of turnout for these protests. A wide range of speakers, from the pastor of a local congregation to Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney, spoke, encouraging and praising the crowd for their attendance. Many carried signs, and even balloons, expressing their distaste for Trump’s actions in office.
That energy peaked when the march began–sweat dripped, but spirits remained high as the crowd chanted “this is what democracy looks like,” and “ Trump has got to go.” Some were even dancing in the street as cars drove by, honking their horns to show solidarity. Bystanders pulled out their phones to film the crowd, and the sidewalks became a viewing place for curious people.
As the march came to an end in Dock Street Park, three participants climbed into a fountain, proudly displaying their signs condemning I.C.E.’s actions, and chanting continued.
The beautiful array of flags and signs with such different messaging struck. Some held signs in solidarity with the queer community and communities of color, some held signs advocating for unions and respect of the Constitution. Religious messaging was surprisingly prevalent. There were American flags that flew, many upside down. People had gathered for a myriad of different reasons.
“It’s time for us to be a little bit louder about how much we care about each other,” Rita Utz, who works for a statewide mental health nonprofit, said.
“I’m really excited to be here, because I’ve never come to anything like this before, and the big push was that my dad wanted to come… anytime a straight, white male in his 70’s says he wants to go to an Anti-Trump thing, that’s what we do,” Lisa Utz, an elementary school teacher of 18 years, said.
A yearning for humanity was not the only thing that drew people out to march. There was a lot of personal impact that could be felt on behalf of the protestors.
Stephanie, a veterinary technician, said, “I’m the daughter of two immigrant parents, and I came to show support. This is my first protest ever, so it’s very nerve-wracking. It was really hard to tell if this was going to be a safe event…But I came with some safe friends that have kind of soothed the anxiety, for sure.”
Though protesting is an emotionally taxing venture, many were encouraged by the sheer number of people in attendance and having access to a space to be with like-minded people who share the same anger and frustration.
“We’re mad and we’re showing it…” Alex Chan, who left a career in software to make music, said. “They can’t ignore us if we’re this big.”
That was a prominent sentiment throughout the whole evening. This is only the beginning of the work, not the end. People must continue to show up in solidarity with one another.
“I feel inspired and encouraged to keep going and to hope for a better future for the U.S.,” said Kiersten Lee, a scientist.
After the initial protest, a call to move “out of the plaza and into the streets” rang out. Other organizers wanted to continue the work. This didn’t just happen in Richmond, though. Many have expressed disappointment at the No Kings movement for centering white voices and not addressing the issue of Israel’s occupation of Gaza sufficiently.
Seeing the community come together like they did for this protest, and seeing people take matters into their own hands when they saw complacency, showcased a powerful unity in Richmond.
