Sunny day greets thousands of anti-Trump protesters in Indianapolis

Thousands of Hoosiers marched to the Indiana Statehouse Saturday afternoon for the third No Kings rally in opposition to President Donald Trump — an event punctuated by drum circles, car honking, signs and creative costumes.

The rally reflected an upbeat vibe as protesters met at the south steps to listen to live renditions of famous anti-war songs by the Beatles and the Cranberries.

Speakers rallied the crowd in laughter and “joyful resistance,” while other protesters circled the building to chant for passersby, carrying signs comparing the president to a monarch, dictator and fascist.

“This is about community,” said Monique Rust, one of the event organizers. “This is about collective effervescence. … Fear wears you down faster than anything. We want to be uplifting and joyful, because joy itself is an act of resistance.”

The Statehouse event was one of more than 60 held around the state and thousands around the nation Saturday.

Protesters decry ‘unprecedented times’

The rally attracted life-long Democrats, former Republicans and independent voters who are disaffected with both parties.

“I’m not a fan of the two-party system,” said Ean Parson, who called himself an independent. “I find it very polarizing. We need more options. We need better options. I shouldn’t be given an ultimatum for an election.”

This is Parson’s third No Kings rally. The Indianapolis native is new to political activism, inspired by what he describes as “unprecedented times.”

He sat outside the Statehouse Saturday holding a hand-drawn sign depicting Donald Trump and infamous financier Jeffrey Epstein in flames.

“We have a pedophile in public office,” Parson said. “The president of the U.S. is in the Epstein files, and I think we need to do something about that. No more wars, no more pedos, no more tech billionaires, no more oligarchs. That’s how I feel.”

The second Trump presidency inspired Tom Harnishfeger, a former Republican-turned Democrat, to protest for the first time since 1962.

Republicans in Congress “won’t do anything to stop this craziness,” Harnishfeger said. “To think one man could do all this — it’s beyond my comprehension.”

Protesters want Dems to be more vocal

Harnishfeger and other protesters spoke of their desire for elected Democrats to be more vocal in their opposition to Trump.

“They ought to be out every day,” he said. “I’m just out here one day, but they need to be out here every day.”

“They have nothing to lose,” said Rebecca Williams, who traveled to Saturday’s rally at the Statehouse from Carmel. “In the state of Indiana, there’s no reason why they can’t be vocal because, quite frankly, in a lot of counties and districts, Democrats can’t get elected anyway. They might as well speak out. I think they might be surprised by what happens.”

Some candidates had booths or tables and many election signs dotted the lawn.

More Dem candidates on ballot

While several protesters who spoke to the Capital Chronicle said they don’t expect Democrats to carry many of those seats, they expressed optimism about the record number of Democratic candidates on the ballot this year.

The Indiana Democratic Party says at least one Democratic candidate is running in all 25 State Senate seats on the ballot this year, as well as 91 out of 100 State House districts — a record for the party.

“Hopefully we can get some enthusiasm and pick up a few more seats to break the supermajority,” said Bryan Dodd, an Indianapolis resident who attended Saturday’s protest.

Anti-ICE sentiment prevalent

Anger at the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement was apparent Saturday as protesters chanted and carried signs proclaiming their disdain for the agency.

Several activists even roamed the Statehouse grounds Saturday distributing literature urging protesters to email agencies like the Indiana Department of Correction to shut down ICE detention centers and domestic detainee flights.

“I want to be able to say in the history books when I’m older that I actually did something,” said Abby Morgan, an organizer with the Indy Action Coalition, who likened modern-day America to Nazi Germany.

“That’s why I’m here,” she said. “That’s why I’m involved in activism. I cannot just yell at my TV out of rage. I have to go out and do something.”

Like other protesters, Morgan expressed disappointment with elected Democrats for not being more active.

She’s now considering a vote for George Hornedo, who is challenging 7th District U.S. Rep. André Carson for the Democratic nomination, after Carson did not attend an event hosted by the Indy Action Coalition this month, Morgan said.

“We need somebody who’s a bit more involved locally and gets out to meet with folks,” Morgan said.