Protest rallies under the banner of “No Kings” are planned Saturday in Hopkinsville and in hundreds of cities across the nation to demonstrate opposition to President Donald Trump’s policies.
The rallies coincide with the June 14 observance of Flag Day and the U.S. military parade in Washington, D.C., where thousands of service members, military vehicles and aircraft flyovers are planned. The parade date falls on Trump’s 79th birthday and the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army. (Live coverage of the military parade will available on Army social media.)
The No Kings rally in Hopkinsville is slated from noon to 1:30 p.m. at the Christian County Justice Center.
Other cities in Western Kentucky that have announced rallies include Henderson, Paducah and Madisonville, according to the No Kings website. As of Thursday morning, rallies were planned in an estimated 18 Kentucky communities.
No Kings is described as a “nationwide day of defiance” to reject authoritarianism. Many individuals and groups planning rallies cite their opposition to the Trump administration’s federal immigration enforcmement raids and the escalation of conflicts in Los Angeles where the president has mobilized the National Guard and Marines.
Saturday’s event will be the second Hopkinsville rally in recent months to protest Trump. A “Hands Off” rally, also part of a national movement, occurred April 19 at the justice center in downtown Hopkinsville.
Organizers have stressed a commitment to peaceful protesting at the No Kings rallies.
“We expect all participants to seek to de-escalate any potential confrontation with those who disagree with our values and to act lawfully at these events. Weapons of any kind, including those legally permitted, should not be brought to events,” the organization said in a statement posted to the website.
Gov. Andy Beshear, who has criticized both the president’s use of the military in Los Angeles and the expense of the parade in Washington, D.C., said during a Team Kentucky briefing on Thursday that he is activating the Kentucky Emergency Operations Center to monitor the protests on Saturday.
“Law enforcement and other state officials will be monitoring the protests, and Beshear reminded Kentuckians that violence and destruction of property is illegal,” WKU Public Radio reported. “He encouraged peaceful protests to counter what he called a spectacle.”
This story was updated to include the governor’s comments on protests in Kentucky.
Jennifer P. Brown is co-founder, publisher and editor of Hoptown Chronicle. You can reach her at editor@hoptownchronicle.org. Brown was a reporter and editor at the Kentucky New Era, where she worked for 30 years. She is a co-chair of the national advisory board to the Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues, governing board past president for the Kentucky Historical Society, and co-founder of the Kentucky Open Government Coalition. She serves on the Hopkinsville History Foundation's board.
