Photos and Story by Morgen White and Gen Heywood | FāVS News
Spokane and Seattle joined more than 2,700 “No Kings” protests that took place across the nation on Saturday.
The Seattle Police Department estimated the crowd stretched over a mile long with an estimate of nearly 90,000 people in attendance, while an estimated 10,000 protestors showed up for Spokane’s protest.
Spokane
In Spokane those who took part in the protest range from Sravasti Abbey monastics and Catholic nuns to raging grannies to youth full of the desire to be heard.
Ven. Thubten Monlam said she wanted people to know that America’s potential is to express a democracy that benefits most people and that she “would like to see it actualized.”
Her colleague at the abbey, Ven. Thubten Jigme said these protests reminded her of the days of Vietnam and how those protests helped stop the war.
“So, we just don’t give up and we hold to our values and people will follow,” she said.
Some of the youth who attended aimed their expressions at stopping fascism and fighting for their future form of government.
“Donald J Trump is not okay,” Ian Miller said. His protest buddy, Tyler Goodwin said, “I’m here because we need to stop the fascism.” And Ona Miller stood for their “future as youth.”
The program was emceed by Ari Dean, an event organizer with the Party for Socialism and Liberation. They led the crowd in chants and spoke of the urgency of this situation and of what they called the “atrocities” of the current administration in the Spokane neighborhoods, in Gaza, off the coast of Venezuela, as well as of the shame on the tactics to make the rich richer.
Shantell Jackson of the Peace and Justice Action League of Spokane reminded the crowd to get involved with the PJALS activities.
“We are a community in solidarities to say enough is enough,” Jackson said. “Enough of the fear. Enough of the silence. Enough of pretending this is normal because it is not.”
Seattle
While the Spokane protest took place, rain may have put a damper on the length of the Seattle protest by dispersing the crowd earlier than intended, but it did not prevent people from showing up.
Two large groups of protestors merged at the Seattle Center. When rain arrived in the afternoon, crowds made their way toward shelter, with many heading for the Westlake light rail station.
Under an overhang by Westlake Center, Leonie Roblin stood with a sign. Roblin said she sees an America today that doesn’t reflect its founding principles, adding that she hopes people will be brave and stand up.
“Right now in the United States, we don’t have justice, and without justice, there’s no peace. We don’t have due process. We don’t have the rule of law. And that’s…that’s not America,” Roblin said.
Mariah Vio and Tonya Reinhard blew bubbles near two people in inflatable Axolotl costumes as they danced around.
Both emphasized solidarity and unity as their reasons for attending.
Vio said corruption can only be solved by standing up together, no matter one’s background.
Reinhard said she hopes by showing up it reminds others “we’re not alone with everything that’s going on.”
Steve Winter stopped nearby to watch the scene.
When asked what prompted his attendance, Winter said, “What did not bring me here today?”
He pointed to unconstitutional actions from the Trump administration, like attempting to end birthright citizenship for children of non-citizens, which is contradictory to the 14th Amendment.
“There’s power in numbers. And we need to show our solidarity with everyone. Doesn’t matter who they are, if they are here in America, we need to stand with them totally,” Winter said.
As long as the U.S. has democratic principles, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, and the courts are fighting to uphold the law, Winter says, “I’m putting my faith in the people.”
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