Four months after the first nationwide “No Kings” protests were organized to push back against the Trump administration amid a period of political, social and economic unrest, a second day of action is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 18, and local groups in Greenfield, Orange and Ashfield are ready to participate once more.
Greenfield
Starting at 2 p.m., the No Kings Day II march and rally will start at Energy Park, 50 Miles St. The march will take participants to the Greenfield Common for the rest of the rally, which will feature performances and speakers.
According to Franklin County Continuing the Political Revolution (FCCPR), the goal is to speak out against President Donald Trump and his administration; raise awareness for various social, political and economic issues; and build community “in the face of the multiple attacks on our society and our democracy by the Trump administration.”
“Now, more than ever, we need to show our power and make clear what we stand
for: democracy and no kings,” the statement reads.
Greenfield’s first No Kings Day rally, which was also organized by FCCPR, was held on June 14. Human Rights Commission member Paul Jablon, who served as the rally’s official counter, said he counted 2,386 demonstrators at 1:14 p.m.
David Greenberg, FCCPR organizer, said the demonstration will feature speakers, including Massachusetts Teachers Association President Max Page, and performances by Nbs Malay, Elena Ciampa, Ben Grosscup and the Montague Singers.
The June protests in more than 1,400 locations across the nation coincided with the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary parade in Washington D.C., which also fell on Trump’s 79th birthday. That same weekend, National Guard and U.S. Marines were deployed in Los Angeles following unrest over federal immigration enforcement in the city, and Congress was preparing to vote on Trump’s spending bill, known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” which sparked protests nationally and in Greenfield on July 17.
No Kings Day II falls during continued political, social and economic unrest in the United States. Since the last protest, there have been continued and planned National Guard deployments to several U.S. cities, further Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrests, concerns over a free speech crackdown by federal authorities and U.S. job growth has slowed while inflation ticks higher.
These concerns are among the focus of this planned demonstration, with FCCPR Coordinating Committee member Molly Cantor noting how there is “so much to protest right now” when asked about specific causes. She added that continued ICE raids, defunding of public services and free speech concerns are major drivers for the protest.
“At this moment, targeting people who are speaking out against what the government is doing, the targeting of those people is a massive issue, and everyone should be worried about that,” Cantor said.
Greenberg feels similarly, sharing his hopes for a similar turnout as the first demonstration.
“We’re hoping to have at least as many people as last time, and we hope for maybe even more,” he said.
The march will start on Miles Street at Energy Park, then take a right onto Main Street to the Greenfield Common, which is a flat route and a roughly five-minute walk. Greenberg said FCCPR expects to march down the street to the common and has been working with the Greenfield Police Department to assist with traffic and permitting.
To Greenberg, even though this protest will be the second one in a few months for the Pioneer Valley, which is in a “bubble” within a blue state, the national challenges are still impacting people in western Massachusetts.
“The national scene is a lot more serious now, and a lot more ugly,” he said. “It’s more important than ever to show that democracy is important to us.”
Orange
Orange will also have its second No Kings Day rally on Saturday, beginning at 11 a.m. and running until 12:30 p.m. at Memorial Park, hosted by Indivisible North Quabbin.
Pat Larson, who was involved with organizing the last rally in Orange, said there will be speakers and performers, including Rep. Susannah Whipps, I-Athol, who will speak to the local challenges facing Orange, Athol and the other nine North Quabbin towns.
Additionally, the rally will double as a drive for local food pantries, and nonperishable foods and hygiene products will be accepted. There will also be tables of information from the members of Indivisible North Quabbin on voting rights, and the hope is to find action items to continue in the winter.
Back in June, Larson said the Orange rally attracted at least 500 people, and she hopes there will be a similar turnout, even though there are other regional rallies.
“Hopefully there’ll be more people, and more people will realize this isn’t stopping and we need to defend democracy and defend the Constitution,” she said.
Ashfield
In the western part of Franklin County, Ashfield will host its own No Kings Day II rally starting at 11 a.m. at the Ashfield Town Common, 429 Main St.
Organizer Cass Nawrocki said residents of Ashfield and beyond have held weekly demonstrations before, and this is a continuation of those efforts. On the last No Kings Day rally, there were around 100 people in attendance, and she expects there may be more people this time.
“I have a feeling we’ll have a lot more — a lot of people are upset,” she said.
Nawrocki said she plans to have copies of the Declaration of Independence on hand for people to read, and there will be a conversation on how to continue political action in the winter when standouts may not have as many participants.
“Our group is focused on actions and activities to do things beyond just a standout,” she said.
Other regional No Kings Day II rallies will be held in Northampton, Amherst, Hadley, South Hadley, Holyoke and Springfield.
For a full list of No Kings Day II rallies, visit nokings.org/#map.