They came by the thousands in Southwest Florida, by the tens of thousands across the state and by the millions across the U.S. — for a variety of reasons both political and philosophical. No matter the reason, collectively, they bonded by fear, they bonded by hope.
Saturday was a protest, a rally cry and a new experience for many who in spite of living for decades through the tumult of the '60s and Vietnam War never once before gathered en masse to exercise their Constitutional rights to publicly air grievances about their government.
All across Southwest Florida — Naples, Fort Myers, Port Charlotte, Sarasota and elsewhere — people came together to urge, plead, beg and demand that a political situation they find untenable would be reversed.
The “No Kings” rallies were organized in nearly 2,000 locations nationwide, including cities, towns, and community spaces.
Huge, boisterous crowds marched in Philadelphia, New York, Denver, Chicago, Houston and Los Angeles. Atlanta’s 5,000-capacity rally quickly reached its limit in front of the state Capitol. Organizers of the “No Kings” demonstrations said millions had marched in hundreds of events.
These protests followed recent unrest over federal immigration raids and Trump’s deployment of the National Guard and Marines to Los Angeles, where tensions escalated with protesters on some occasions blocking a freeway and setting vehicles on fire.
The local events were a far cry from the disturbances out west. Under the searing late morning sun, Southwest Floridians grabbed American flags and waved signs calling for the end to the growing fascism they see in this country.
Naples
School teacher Tad Tuttle dug out an old Halloween custom for Saturday's demonstration: a crown, a red cloak and bejeweled scepter. While out for a morning walk the idea came to him that should place a sign above his head denoting the U.S. Constitution.
"Do you understand the metaphor?" Tuttle asked, explaining the last-minute prop was meant to quell heckling at the "No Kings" event.
Indeed, placing the U.S. Constitution is above the monarchy, worked, Tuttle said. There were no jeers.
Nearby, a 22-year-old stood under a shady tree. At her legs was a sign that said "We are not free until we are all free." As the only American-born member of her family, she said she constantly lives in fear.
Because of that fear, WGCU is only using Lupe's first name.
That fear began as a young girl when her mom had to work back-to-back jobs after Lupe's father was deported. She missed her mother and feared she may never come home because she did not have papers to live in this country.
Lupe began to cry when she explained that her mom crossed into the U.S. from Mexico when she was about the age that Lupe is now. To this day, her mother's old homeland, while beautiful, she said, still lacks plumbing in much of the village.
Twelve years ago Lupe's fear that her mother may not come home came true when she was held in a detention facility after a workplace raid in Collier County.
A few years later, Lupe's mom got her papers to remain in the country. But the fear has not abated.
" I am afraid, I lived to fear my whole life, growing up thinking that if my mom's taken away, what is gonna happen to me? Because I'm the only born citizen here. So I never have that fear leaving me even after her getting the papers, because I know it's gonna happen, and we do have a place to go if we ever get deported."
Fort Myers
Plenty of people were protesting for the first time.
First-time demonstrators Doni Slater and Mike Sofer of Bonita Springs were ecstatic at the turnout in Fort Myers and happy to be there.
“We wanted to feel like we could do something and get out here and be a part of it ... where we want to be, too, with all of you," Slater said. "And this is wonderful.”
So many people jammed the sidewalk along a one-mile stretch along U.S. 41 in Lee County that it was difficult to move along. But still they were chanting, singing, yelling and enjoying what looked like a groundswell of support for change.
Another first-time protester, Joy Bridwell from LaBelle, expressed her concern about the current state of the country, emphasizing the need for safety and democracy for future generations.
"I'm just appalled at what's happening in our country right now. I mean, I used to not have to really pay attention to the news, but now, every day I wake up, it's something scarier and something more worrisome." Bridwell said. "And you know, I hope to have grandchildren one day, and I want them to be raised in a country that's safe and is democratic, and that where everybody has a place."
Even though Bridwell lives in what can by all accounts be considered a deep-red part of the state, she refuses to feel powerless.
"I know we're in a red state. We're in an area of the state where the current administration won big in the election, and they need to know that there are people who are worried that are really you know, you know we're not crazy people, but we want what's best for our country," she said.
Bridwell said she had been a GOP supporter, before Trump.
"I did vote Republican up until 2016 you know, I was a Reagan college Republican when I was in college. You know, the most conservative member of my family at that time," she said. "But I knew that the current president was a crazy person way back, way before he ever got into politics. And I'm like, There's no way people are gonna vote this person in, you know?"
Among others new to protest was Theresa Ariza Fang of Fort Myers, who feels outnumbered in her family but remains undaunted. “We need to make a difference,” she said. “Even though my entire family says that it’s not going to make a difference. I can’t stand by and just not have it worth anything. My entire family is Republican. I’m the only Democrat in the family, and just listening to them has been a bit disheartening and sad.”
“I fear our democracy is in great danger, and it is time for us all to stand up and unite and take back our country,” said first-timer Cheryl Nelson. “My fear is that everything is in place with Project 2025, and that was the intent, and people didn't believe it, and now it's happening in in real life.”
The signs, chants and songs being sung ranged from concerns over the monarch aspect of the current administration's activities to worries over the arrests and deportations being carried out against immigrants — criminals or not.
Little if any trouble was reported at any of the rally venues. In Fort Myers, several people succumbed to temperatures that hovered around 90. Officers and deputies from the Lee County Sheriff's Office helped those people, passing out ice and cold water and EMS crews were on standby to treat the more severe cases.
Florida Highway Patrol units assisted with traffic control up and down U.S. 41 and Daniels as vehicles responding to the protestors — both positive and negative — backed up multiple lanes.
“I've been with my wife since I was 16 years old,” said Molly Minikus. "We've been together for 10 years, and I'd love the security and the safety to just walk down the sidewalk and hold my wife's hand without a stare or a look or a problem. Number one, I have a grandmother or grandmother-in-law who's 69 years old and is in fear of losing her Social Security.”
FGCU biology major Kat Escalona identifies as transgender and "I want my damn health care. I'm also worried because I know people who are in this country on temporary status, and I do not want them removed. They are hard working people. … and I do not want to see them taken away, because he is removing all legal avenues to be in this country.”
Plenty in Fort Myers were vocal about their dislike of the president. Willie Middleton wondered aloud how “to stop the insanity of what this nut, that's a president that we call President, is doing, and we've got to stop him before he takes away our democracy, our freedom, our rights, everything, and he seems to not realize what he's doing. And we've got to stop him. We've got to stop to him now.”
Some sang the national anthem along with a woman on a portable microphone. Others sang "This Land is Your Land" or "Born in the U.S.A."
A woman in a chicken costume chanted along with the crowd; a man in a Spiderman outfit claimed to be out in support so that kids know their superheroes are on the right side.
Not everyone at the protest was in favor of it. The backed-up traffic, noise and philosophy of most of those attending was anathema to some like Kenny Wadman, a sales manager at an auto dealership along U.S. 41.
“They're just out here. They're blocking our business, you know. And they're walking around with signs that say, protect the rule of law, you know,” Wadman said. “At the same time, you know, they want people to enter the country illegally. So, you know, it's just, I mean, how I feel about it is, I just feel like that. This is just a lack of education, you know, and a lack of understanding. And this on Flag Day, the celebration of our Army's 250th anniversary.”
A 40-year-old Cape Coral man in a Make America Great Again ball cap roamed the area in his blue pick-up for about an hour Saturday. The truck was festooned with pro-Trump and American flag regalia.
Refusing to give his name, he said he's enlisted in the military and heading out for basic training next month. He said he came to this central Fort Myers area to offer a counter point of view: "I support Donald Trump and I support the direction the country is going in — for sure. And honestly to hopefully have some conversation with people who might disagree with me."
Port Charlotte
Bill Welsch, a co-facilitator for the group Indivisible Action Southwest Florida, said there were lot of people are turning out for the No Kings event in Port Charlotte.
“People who are distraught with what the current administration is doing and the illegal activities of the current administration,” he said. “And you can tell by the just the noise level and the number of people who showed up and everybody, there are a lot of upset people.”
One of those attending the Port Charlotte event, Nancy Penning, offered what the goal was for those at the protest. “We're concerned about our democracy, and it is under attack every minute since January 20th and before. But what is happening now is it is a red alert. It is time for people to stand up and to be heard.”
Corky Benner was concerned about the Trump administration’s actions. “He's just doing his decisions on whatever he wants done. What happened to the Constitution? I mean, really, what happened? What happened to Congress? What happened to our work? He's supposed to be in there for the people. We are the people. I fought for this vote. Yes. You know, I never thought at 73, I was going to be standing here.”
Sarasota
In Sarasota, Sonja Baer was experiencing her first protest. Why did she come out?
“Solidarity, I found on the internet, just on social media, that this was happening, and I just was hoping there were going to be people here, and it was just, it's like, amazing. It just makes my heart so happy to see so many people,” she said.
Nearby was Janet Wyatt, a Vietnam War veteran, former Navy nurse. She was concerned by the military aspects of recent protests like in Los Angeles.
“I took care of the Marines who were training at Parris Island. And we loved our Marines, all of the Navy nurses and the docks there,” she said. “And we love the Marines now, but we do not, they do not want their freedom and their discipline overtaken by an authoritarian administration. We want democracy, and democracy is all about freedom of speech, freedom of assembly and not having the Marines take away your freedom to assemble or speak. So God bless my Marines. I took good care of them, and I hope they're taking good care of each other.”
Malinda Luker had several concerns: “I need to come out here and let my voice be heard and say we don't want a dictator, we don't want a monarch. We want Congress to take back their job and do their job for the people, and that's what I'm here for. And also, as a member of the LGBTQ community, I just feel that my rights are just as important as anyone else, and I'm afraid of what can happen if, if we continue in this direction.”
WGCU is your trusted source for news and information in Southwest Florida. We are a nonprofit public service, and your support is more critical than ever. Keep public media strong and donate now. Thank you. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
