A crowd that protest organizers estimated to be 20,000 strong gathered Saturday afternoon at the Texas Capitol to protest the policies of President Donald Trump. The No Kings protests are a nationwide movement organized by a myriad of progressive organizations such as the American Civil Liberties Union, the American Federation of Teachers, and Communication Workers of America. Numerous catalysts sparked the protests’ organization; in particular, Trump’s deployment of the National Guard during anti-ICE protests in Los Angeles, the handcuffing of Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., at a press conference for Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, legislative attacks on trans rights, and the shooting of two Minnesota lawmakers early yesterday morning.
The shooting early Saturday morning, in which Minnesota state senators Melissa Hortman and John Hoffman, as well as their respective spouses Mark Hortman and Yvette Hoffman, were shot in their homes by a suspect disguised as a police officer, was denounced by Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Austin, who spoke first among a long list of speakers. Doggett emphasized the need for unity amid a presidency he described as “authoritarian.” He was followed by city council member Vanessa Fuentes, who represents District 2, and immigration attorney Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch, among others. Lincoln-Goldfinch gave a speech advocating against mass deportations and relayed the story of her client David, a father of three who owns his own roofing company. David is currently being detained by ICE, and currently sits in a detention center this Father’s Day. During the protest, his daughter Nicole, surrounded by her two brothers, followed up on Lincoln-Goldfinch’s speech with an impassioned plea testifying to her father’s character and reputation within his community.
The protest also prominently featured local drag queen Brigitte Bandit, who advocated on behalf of trans youth’s right to gender affirming healthcare and bodily autonomy. Bandit also performed a dance to Rage Against the Machine’s “Killing in the Name” in the garb of American flags and urged the crowd to fight back against forces of oppression using nonviolent means. Similar to the ICE Out of Austin protest earlier last week, the No Kings protest initially began as peaceful protest, but was interrupted by Austin Police’s use of tear gas on protesters at 10:30 p.m., two hours after the majority of protesters dispersed.
Sara Navarro, an Austin resident who attended the No Kings protest, views the movement as a defining moment in American history.
“I’m planting my feet in history,” Navarro said. “This is something very important not just for my community but for the community throughout the nation of the United States. Fascism is at full present force, and we will not allow it, which is why we have come to unite and not be divided.”
Navarro feels that the large turnout demonstrates the overall population’s frustration with the Trump administration.
“I think that unfortunately this has become a dictatorship in the making,” Navarro said. “It is very frustrating. I think that everyone is finally opening their eyes to this fascism and we are here today to not accept that.”
Another protester who noticed the large turnout was fellow Austinite Glenda McKinney, who has been attending protests at the State Capitol for 52 years, since she was 14 years old. According to McKinney, the No Kings protest was one of the larger demonstrations she has attended, estimating it was double the size of the anti-Trump “Hands Off” protest in April.
“That’s huge to have even more people showing up when we’ve been warned that there will be National Guard and stuff like that,” McKinney said. “Imagine how many people who were too afraid to come but are still this angry.”
McKinney thinks that politicians should respond to the widespread dissatisfaction with the Trump administration seen at the No Kings protests across the country.
“This is not a few people who are upset, this is a big chunk of the population,” McKinney said. “Instead of only listening to their supporters, they need to listen to the will of the people that they work for.”
One possible path that McCallum rising senior Ava Dallesandro believes politicians could take in response to the rising anti-Trump movement is terminating Trump’s term before it ends. For this to occur, Trump would have to be impeached by the House and then convicted by the Senate. While Trump has been impeached twice before, he has never been convicted by the Senate.
“Trump is becoming more power hungry as the days go on … [and] if his presidency isn’t terminated before his full term, I’ll have to celebrate my 21st birthday with him still in office,” Dallesandro said. “I don’t want to see that future play out in any way shape or form.”
One reason behind Dallesandro’s opinion is Trump’s stance on abortion rights and domestic violence. Dallesandro works for a nonprofit called SparkChange that actively works to empower women of color in politics. Dallesandro focuses on ending domestic violence and expanding abortion access and healthcare.
“I chose this topic mostly because of the extreme rollback of abortion rights and protective laws under Trump’s presidency,” Dallesandro said. “The right to my own bodily autonomy is extremely important to me.”
Another issue that Dallesandro feels particularly strongly about is Trump’s anti-immigration policies. Dallesandro was adopted from Ethiopia as a child and while she has dual citizenship in both the United States and Ethiopia, she doesn’t have birthright citizenship to the United States.
“Every time Trump discusses changing immigration laws and citizenship qualifications, I feel nervous about being detained by ICE or having my citizenship taken away,” Dallesandro says.
Navarro, who is also a staunch advocate for women’s rights, immigration rights, and other civil rights, believes that the only way to protect them is through continuing to speak up for them by nonviolent protesting and exercising voting rights.
“The best thing to do as citizens is to vote, stand up for what is right, and voice yourself,” Navarro said. “There are many people who do not have a voice, so it is our responsibility to give them a voice.”
