'No Kings' marks Fremont's biggest protest of the year
FREMONT - Despite rain, the "No Kings Nationwide Day of Defiance" protest on June 14 was the largest anti-Trump administration event in Fremont this year.
'Hey-Hey-Ho-Ho Donald Trump has got to go!' chanted the more than 250 protesters, who occupied all four corners of West State and Front streets in downtown Fremont.
That was more than double the numbers from previous protests. Two counter-protesters showed up, erecting a tent on the southeast corner.
Mass cheering and the honking of car horns were frequent during the two-hour rally that kicked off at noon. However, occasional hecklers came through, some yelling obscenities, and one man decided to roll coal with his pickup truck.
A Fremont police officer immediately pulled him over after seeing him squealing his tires and fishtailing the vehicle as plumes of black exhaust poured out.
'I am the host of this No Kings rally. While we are here today, we are also going to celebrate that today is Flag Day for the United States of America," organizer Brian Earhart said. "It's also the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army. So, we're going to be holding protests as well as celebrating those two days."
Earhart has been involved in recent protests in Fremont against the Trump administration.
'What we're trying to do is help people in America understand that this country was started by getting rid of a king that was running this country to begin with," he said. "We are going to keep this going, and we are going to keep the current White House administration from doing that same thing.'
Many were carrying signs, showing support for immigrants, Medicaid, veterans, Social Security, human rights and the U.S. Constitution.
Ray Moreno has protested several other times this year in Fremont. He was born in Texas, but has lived in Fremont since 1966.
'I'm here protesting all the stuff going on with the government nowadays since Trump took over," Moreno said. "He hasn't been following the Constitution like he should be, and his Republican congressmen and senators aren't doing anything to stop him. They just let him do whatever he wants."
'Let my people go. I've noticed a lot more young people,' said 24-year-old Fremont native Clarita Diaz. She was holding a sign: 'No thrones, No crowns, No kings.'
Many protesters wore masks and refused to give their names, saying it was due to fear of retaliation.
'We are in real bad shape here. Our country is in such danger," Lynne Hartley said. "In 73 years, I never thought this would happen. I just felt like, rain or shine, we need to be here and make our voices heard. Democracy counts. Don't let it slip away. So many of us don't realize what this really means, how we're sliding down a slippery slope, and we're almost at the bottom. Not following the Constitution. Not following due process that people need to have. Immigrants need our help. Due process is not just for citizens.'
Several veterans were protesting and wore hats and shirts to show their branch of the armed forces.
'I'm out here to make sure we don't have a king in this country. The whole administration is out of control, and then they send my Marines into Los Angeles? No, sir. That's not why I went to boot camp,' said David Johnson, 'a simple infantryman."
Anthony Pierce was counter-demonstrating with a tent and several flags, including a Trump 2024 flag, an American flag and a 'Don't Tread On Me' flag that had an image that appeared to be a pink-and-white anime figure.
'Hopefully, I'm countering a lot of the misinformation that folks on that side of the aisle are trying to spew against people: that posse comitatus has been violated, that Trump's a king — and none of those things are true," Pierce said. "They say he's trying to take away Medicaid — that's not true. They say he's trying to take away Social Security — and that's not true. It's a vicious cycle."
One other man joined Pierce after the rain stopped.
rlapointe@gannett.com
419-332-2674
This article originally appeared on Fremont News-Messenger: Rain couldn't dampen 'No Kings' anger against Trump administration
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