A wave of 2,500 peaceful protests will take over the country on Saturday, and western Massachusetts is no exception as eight rallies are forming in Hampshire County alone.
“No Kings II,” as the rallies are being called by organizers from the national progressive coalition of Indivisible chapters, are a direct message to President Donald Trump to respect the rule of law and uphold the rights contained in the U.S. Constitution.
Saturday’s protests follow the first No Kings protest held on June 14 that drew more than 5 million people from across 50 states. That first protest was arguably one of the largest single day protests in American history, and it brought together the largest turnout against Trump since he was elected to the presidency in 2016.
Miriam DeFant, a member of Indivisible West Quabbin who is organizing Amherst’s rally, said those who are expected to attend this Saturday will make the protests in June look like a “warmup.” Organizers are making that prediction based on how many people have already registered to attend locally.
In Northampton alone, a minimum of 600 are expected to come out, according to Mary Wang-Boucher, an organizer with Northampton Resists.
She said that although the region, and Northampton in particular, have an active and progressive constituency, it remains vital to be aware that actions happening at the federal level still impact the local community.
“We have immigrants being kidnapped and federal cuts that are directly impacting people,” she said. Wang-Boucher added that people should come out and show that they are “proponents of joy unlike what they [Republicans] are dishing out.”
For Republicans, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, the upcoming gatherings have been dubbed “Hate-America” rallies.
But for Clare McGale, an organizer for Holyoke’s rally with Real Majority Holyoke, coming out to protest is just as American as apple pie or hot dogs.
“Protest is probably one of the most American things there are,” she said, citing the Boston Tea Party for leading to the founding of the United States, and other movements like the push for labor rights.
“To say protest isn’t American is to rewrite the narrative and erase American history,” said McGale.
State Rep. Mindy Domb, D-Amherst, said that attending one of Saturday’s rallies is “incredibly important for people who are aspiring for America to be a beacon of Democracy.”
The protest in Domb’s hometown of Amherst begins at 1:30 p.m. downtown, where attendees will take to the public sidewalks around Town Common and at the intersection of Main, Amity, North Pleasant, and South Pleasant streets.
In addition to a large crowd, rallygoers can also expect to hear from Domb and state Sen. Jo Comerford, D-Northampton. Other speakers have not been made official but will represent immigrants and members of the LGBTQ community, organizers said.
Before 1:30 p.m., the retirement community at Applewood will host its own rally that will take place beginning at 12:30 p.m. It is being put on by the The Democracy in Action group at Applewood and rallygoers will meet at Bay Road between the campuses of Hampshire College and Applewood.
Rallies in other communities
Northampton’s two-hour protest will take place in downtown’s Pulaski Park, 240 Main St., starting at 11:30 a.m. Among the more than dozen speakers will be Comerford, Northampton Mayor Gina-Louise Sciarra, state Rep. Lindsay Sabadosa, D-Northampton, and U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern.
Other speakers include Carrie Baker, professor and chair of the Program for the Study of Women, Gender, and Sexuality at Smith College; Lena Entin, LUCE Immigrant Justice Network of MA and Neighbor to Neighbor; Kai Imperial-Jewett, GSA President, Northampton High School; John Paradis, veteran, writer, and activist; Garrick Perry, Northampton city councilor at-large; Bill Newman, attorney and co-host of WHMP’s “Talk the Talk”; Will O’Dwyer of the River Valley Democratic Socialists of America; and more.
Other rallies include:
- Belchertown Town Common, 10 a.m. , 2 Jabish St.
- Hadley, 12-2 p.m., Pride gas station, 25 Russell St.
- Haydenville, 9:30 a.m., outside Town Office, 141 Main St.
- Holyoke, 4-6 p.m., lawn of City Hall, 536 Dwight St.
- South Hadley, 11 a.m.-12 p.m., Town Commons, College Street.
- Worthington, 10 a.m.-12 p.m., Town Hall, 160 Huntington Road.
Other rallies taking place across western Massachusetts include ones in Springfield, Greenfield, Ashfield, Orange, Pittsfield and Westfield.