‘We’ve got to do something:’ Thousands attend ‘No Kings’ protests in Alabama

Thousands of Alabamians attended protests around the state Saturday against President Donald Trump and his administration.

About 15 protests were scheduled around Alabama, part of over 2,600 demonstrations scheduled on Saturday that were expected to draw millions of people. Speakers and participants criticized the administration’s seizure of power; its arrest and detention of immigrants and its policies toward health care. Others said Trump administration policies were hurting members of their families.

The protests were largely peaceful, with no major incidents reported.

A similar round of protests were held in June and drew millions of people to 1,500 sites nationwide. About 14 of those protests were held in Alabama that day with thousands of people in attendance.

Crowd sizes varied, from about 40 people in Selma to up to 2,000 in Birmingham. Here are reports from four of the protests on Saturday.

Birmingham: Calls for community and activism

A crowd of approximately 2,000 people gathered in Railroad Park Saturday for Birmingham’s “No Kings” protest, hearing from speakers including former U.S. Sen. Doug Jones before peacefully marching along a seven-block parade route, carrying signs and engaging in call-and-response chants while drivers honked their horns in support.

“We’re here today, like so many more that have come to Birmingham before us, not just for a No Kings rally but for civil rights, for anti-war protests, you name it, to speak out about injustices when they see it,” Jones told the cheering audience that filled the park’s pavilion and spilled onto a hillside beyond it.

“We’re here because, ‘Freedom is a fragile thing, and it’s never more than a generation away from extinction,’” he continued, quoting Ronald Reagan’s 1967 inaugural address as California’s governor. “Two hundred and fifty years ago, this country was born of one thing that every American generation has reaffirmed: no kings.”

Attendees hailing from Birmingham and surrounding suburbs and towns cited concerns about human rights and vulnerable people, including the poor and immigrants, threats to democracy and freedom of speech, and opposition to President Donald Trump’s policies as reasons they came to the rally.

“I thought it was very important that we come out and that we show, really, as a country, how we feel about what’s going on in our government, how oppressive it is, and that we’re saying, ‘No,’” said DeValerie Williams of Birmingham. “We’re saying, ‘No, we love our country. We want our country to stay a democracy, where we care about each other. And I think the only way to do this is for us to be a show of force.”

In her remarks to the crowd, Rev. Julie Conrady of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Birmingham said the city redefined freedom and equality in 1965.

“Over and over in the history of our country, we, the people, have been the necessary checks and balances to ensure that our country continues to progress, improve and prosper,” Conrady said.

She encouraged people to get involved in local causes.

“There is not a lot we can do at the federal government right now,” Conrady said. “One party controls all three branches of government, and one despot’s marching orders control them all. Our resistance must focus locally and statewide, where together, we can make meaningful change.”

Quoting the words of U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson, who called the No Kings protests a “hate-America rally,” attendees and speakers at the Birmingham event said they wanted to correct such misunderstandings.

“There’s a lot of people in this country who care passionately about what’s going on with the current administration and all the corruption and all the lies, taking people’s health care away and giving tax breaks to the rich,” said Greg Fuller of Birmingham. “I think it’s un-American. I think it’s not patriotic. And I think this group is full of people who love America, not hate America, as the speaker said.”

Idania Gonzalez with the Alabama Coalition for Immigrant Justice, told the crowd to look around them because the rally is what community looks like.

“This is what power looks like when people stand together for the same cause, when people stand together for our neighbors who are scared to come out, for our neighbors who are living in the shadows due to political fighting,” she said.

Comedian Rebecca Rothman gave rally goers a primer on how to contact their U.S. representatives and then demonstrated it by calling Sen. Tommy Tuberville’s office and leaving a message. She gave the crowd time to make their own calls and encouraged them to place five calls a day.

Candra Bethune of Birmingham said she’s going to do that. Attending the rally made her feel better, even though things are bad, she said, because before she didn’t know what she could do as one person to make a difference.

“We’ve got to do something to let them know that we don’t want this,” Bethune said.

— Olivia McMurrey

Montgomery: Warnings about federal policy changes

More than 600 people gathered in downtown Montgomery for the city’s “No Kings” rally.

“The kind of change that we are trying to achieve is not the kind of change that happens fast,” said Tabitha Isner, vice chair of the Alabama Democratic Party, who spoke at the rally. “This is the kind of change that requires we keep showing up. The last time we showed up, we were a good, decent crowd, but this time we are bigger. The next time we show up, we will be even bigger.”

The protest, which began at Riverfront Park, featured people dressed in makeshift costumes displaying dinosaurs and squirrels and others who adorned themselves with colors of the rainbow. Many carried cardboard placards replete with crowns that were crossed out with the words “No Kings” on them.

At 9 a.m. the crowd then marched a quarter mile to the Court Square Fountain, a site where enslaved people were bought and sold prior to the Civil War, to hear from speakers who urged them to continue the public outcry, and who criticized nearly every aspect of Trump’s policies, from mass arrest and deportations of immigrants to tariffs on trade, as well as the budget bill that Congress passed at Trump’s urging that cut funding for social service programs.

“No king, no crowns, no thrones, only love, because violence is not just bullets and bombs,” said Rev. Valtoria Jackson, Montgomery lead organizer for the Alabama Poor People’s Campaign, said in a speech. “Violence is when people cannot afford a house, violence is when a voter cannot afford medicine, violence is when mothers continue to lose sons and daughters to greed and guns. Violence is when the rich get tax breaks and the poor get evicted.”

Jackson has spoken at numerous gatherings before to raise awareness of the budget bill recently passed by Congress and the potential expiration of expanded tax credits for Affordable Care Act plans that could drive up insurance costs around the nation. The loss of those credits has been a major reason for the ongoing federal government shutdown. The budget bill also reduced funding for Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program that provides food subsidies to lower-income families and individuals. The bill passes more of the cost of maintaining the programs to the states, and advocates had been warning that the bill could reduce the state’s economy by more than $1 billion and eliminate health insurance coverage for almost 200,000 people.

“Our food pantry participation has gone up 200% since he passed this bill,” said Rev. Manuel Williams in an interview following the event, pastor at Resurrection Catholic Church in Montgomery. “These are people who never had to come and get food assistance, but now they are food insecure.”

Others voiced strong opposition to the administration’s efforts to deport large numbers of immigrants living in the U.S.

“One of my biggest things is the ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) raids, the deportation of people who are just trying to live,” said Haley Morgan, who attended the protest. “They are getting deported for a taillight being out, or for speeding. If that is the case, deport me because I have sped and my taillight has been out.”

Many of those who gathered also expressed reservations about Trump’s efforts to reshape the federal government.

“I wanted to help protest against all that Trump is doing,” said Judy May, 87, who attended the rally. “He is destroying the constitution. He is trying to take away our right to vote, our rights of free speech. He is firing so many people, taking so many important departments to pieces. He is destroying the Department of Education, he has destroyed the public health department, I just hate everything he is doing.”

— Ralph Chapoco

Oxford: ‘We are American people who love our country’

Over 200 people gathered along the roads of the Oxford Exchange to protest the Trump administration Saturday under the “No Kings” name.

Protesters of all ages stood along the highway holding signs condemning President Trump for being what they describe as a dictator, demanding the release of the Epstein files and condemning Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

“I’m here today to express my displeasure with the current administration. There are many things being done wrong. I couldn’t even name them, it wouldn’t fit on a sign,” Jim Baker, organizer of the demonstration, said. “I hope somebody hears our cries and our anger and does something about it.”

One protestor said she came to stop the government from continuing the way it is now.

“Things are really scary right now, and if somebody doesn’t say something, and if we don’t keep pushing back, then everything is just going to keep moving in the direction it’s moving. And even if it’s stopping things an inch then it’s worth it,” protestor Cami McKenzie said.

Others just want the government to hear them and their opinions.

“Our government isn’t listening to us. The government is meant to serve us, not control us. So I think it’s important that we stand up before we lose our rights,” protestor Pam Howard said.

Baker said he felt like he was alone when it came to standing up for issues such as healthcare, LGBTQ+ rights and ICE raids.

“It makes me extremely happy that there are this many people in the state of Alabama with the same mindset that I have,” Baker said. “I’ve lived here for 21 years, and for 21 years I thought I was on an island.”

And some of these issues are personal to the ones protesting.

“I have four biologically born female daughters, and two are gender non-conforming, so I’m really bothered by a lot of the talk about trans individuals and stuff,” said Glenda Reeseg.

Alanna Gregg, another protestor, said these issues affect everyone.

“You should be ashamed of yourself if you don’t care,” she said “It shouldn’t have to happen to you for it to matter to you.”

And Baker made it clear that protestors are just regular people who want better for everyone in the country.

“We are not Antifa, we are not insurrectionists. We are American people who love our country and don’t like the direction that it’s going and that’s why we’re here today.

While the overall response from non-protesters was mostly positive with many honking their horns in support of the cause, there were a few that began to heckle the demonstrators.

Halfway through the protest, a small group of Trump supporters stood across the street to heckle the “No Kings” demonstrators. A heated verbal exchange ensued but was quickly settled.

But protesters didn’t let the rude comments from the group dampen their spirits.

“They have every right to be there and we’re fighting for their rights too,” Howard said.

Howard also commended younger people for being at the protest, and not to let anyone deter them from using their voice.

“One thing I want to say to young people is don’t let anybody tell you that your vote doesn’t count. Voter turnout is one of the biggest issues we have in Alabama,” she said. “If you want to see things change, that’s how we change it.”

— Andrea Tinker

Selma: ‘We can see each other’

Laurie Kelly and her husband, who live in Chicago, were traveling to the Gulf of Mexico for a beach vacation. Kelly said she asked her husband to find somewhere to stop to protest.

“If we don’t show up, it’s over. This is very important. It’s small, but it’s still here and that does matter,” Kelly said in an interview. “People need to stand up. That’s what I’m trying to do. It’s all I can do.”

The couple joined about 40 people gathered at the foot of the Edmund Pettus Bridge Saturday afternoon for a local No Kings protest.

The Selma protest was the second for some. Jasie Shepard and Dr. Justin Cavanaugh traveled to Selma after the Tuscaloosa No Kings protest ended Saturday morning, about a 90-minute drive.

Nate Bradley and his friends came to Selma after the Montgomery protest ended this morning. He said he is protesting because of President Donald Trump’s disregard of Congress’ power of the purse.

“Now we have a president who says, ‘I’m not going to fund Democrat programs.’ What does that mean?” Bradley said. “He wouldn’t be able to articulate a thought about that. It’s insulting.”

Bradley said the protests in Montgomery and Selma gave him hope.

“I call my representatives, I go to my townhalls,” Bradley said of what he does outside of the No Kings protests. “I just try to stay sane and find a balance between staying sane and keeping up to date with the nonstop deluge of things that this administration is doing or not doing.”

Annie Pearl Avery, a long-time civil rights activist, urged people to protest every day.

“It’s not going to be a lot of show and a lot of talk. There’s going to have to be some action,” Avery said. “You’ve got a purpose. Everyone has a purpose.”

Rev. Leodis Strong, lead pastor at Brown Chapel in Selma, criticized Republicans who claim to be Christian, but do not show it in policies.

“How can you call yourself pro-life when you did not give access to insurance to soon-to-be mothers and soon-to-be children outside the womb? How can you call yourself pro-life when you take away WIC and SNAP?” Strong asked. “That is a polluted religion.”

Jennifer Wright, who recently moved to Selma from Huntsville, criticized Congress for not releasing investigative files related to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. She urged people to write letters and call their representatives. She also wrote a thank you letter to U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Kentucky, for his petition to release the files.

“Every member of Congress should have happily signed your petition because child sex trafficking should not be considered a partisan issue and should be considered a crime by everyone,” Massie read.

The petition was one vote short of the 218 it needed to pass in September.

Azali Fortier, 18, said the protest gave her a glimpse of hope.

“I know that they can see us because we can see each other,” Fortier said of the Trump administration and Congress. “We’re about to undergo a big change, either for better or for worse.”

The protest wrapped up with Yomi Goodall leading the group singing “America the Beautiful” and “We Shall Overcome,” a Civil Rights Movement anthem.

— Anna Barrett