‘No Kings’ Protests Sweep the Nation Rejecting the Current Administration

By: Brandon Whitaker

A sign in Christiansburg reads “This is the Government our founders warned us about!” 

LGBTQ+ rights. Immigration laws. First amendment infractions. These subjects and more were found on the signs paraded through the streets. 

Hundreds of peaceful protesters lined the streets in major cities across the country with signs denouncing President Donald Trump in the sequel “No Kings” protests on Saturday October 18th. The protests have been a continued rejection of the authoritarian policies of the current president and the perceived corruption within his administration.

This most recent protest is thought to be the second largest single day protest in the United States with nearly seven million participants across all 50 states. Various demonstrations occurred throughout Virginia including in Christiansburg and Roanoke with 2500 and 3-4 thousand participants respectively. The Christiansburg protest seemed to be very peaceful, with promises of food and entertainment after the protest was scheduled to end at 4 p.m. Many of the protesters donned inflated costumes of dinosaur’s sharks and other animals, one individual had a shark costume on with a sign that read “Trump Hates America (And Sharks)” another photo on Facebook shows two women with frog outfits with a sign stating, “United for Ribberty Divided we Croak.” 

Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin mobilized the Virginia National Guard before the weekend as a precaution which has been criticized heavily. Virginia Delegate Michael Jones who represents parts or Richmond and Chesterfield was quoted saying “We say, ‘we’re going to protest…’What does Glenn Youngkin say? ‘We’re going to send out military troops.’ And that is the wrong response.” President Trump responded to the protest by posting an Ai generated video of him donning and crown, flying a fighter jet and deploying brown liquid from the plane onto protesters. Vice President JD Vance posted a similar Ai creation showing Donald Trump putting on a crown and pulling out a sword while prominent democrats such as Nancy Pelosi knelt in front of him.