WMass adds its voice to ‘No Kings' Day protest at federal building on Saturday
SPRINGFIELD — A number of Western Massachusetts groups will join the national 'No Kings' Day of Defiance with a rally Saturday outside the U.S. District Court building.
The rally is expected to run from 12 to 2 p.m. in front of 300 State St.
The peaceful, nonpartisan event is one of about 1,800 such events planned across the country for Saturday.
Organizers are calling for 'accountability, democratic integrity, and a renewed commitment to constitutional values,' they said in a statement Wednesday.
The event is co-hosted by Rise Up Western Mass Indivisible; Indivisible Northampton/Swing Left Western Mass; Defending Democracy of Hampden County; and Northampton Resists.
Speakers will include: Massachusetts State Sen. Adam Gomez; John Bonifaz, a constitutional lawyer from Free Speech for People; John Paradis, retired U.S. Air Force officer and VoteVets member; Springfield City Councilor Zaida Govan; representatives from the Mass Senior Action Council, Young Feminist Party, Springfield No One Leaves, and others; plus statements from U.S. Sens. Ed Markey and Elizabeth Warren.
'The Saturday rally — coinciding with Flag Day, the 250th birthday of the U.S. Army, and the birthday of President Donald Trump — takes place as the president plans an unprecedented military parade in Washington, D.C.," organizers said. 'Critics note ... the display of tanks and troops reflects a push toward a more militarized form of leadership and personal image.'
Local organizers affirm that in the U.S., 'there are no kings — only the will of the people."
Attendees are encouraged to bring signs and to engage peacefully in the rally.
Read the original article on MassLive.
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