69����

More than 90 “No Kings” rallies were held in communities across Wisconsin on Saturday, amid a national day of protest against what organizers said is President Donald Trump’s increasingly authoritarian manner of governing.

It was the second nationwide “No Kings” protest since June. Janesville demonstrators also turned out for that event on June 14.

Democratic state Rep. Ann Roe, of Janesville, told the crowd on Saturday that her presence came out of “immense sadness” and “fear” for American democracy.

Roe, who represents Wisconsin’s 44th state Assembly District, said under the Trump administration, democracy is “on the chopping block.” She emphasized the importance of public assembly to combat that.

Roe said Saturday’s rallies in Janesville, across Wisconsin and across the nation were “giving people a constructive, safe space to acknowledge and vent about their fears and frustrations about the lack of humanity at the federal level,” and she said they were “important to keep people in the light to share good information and to energize us.”

1 arrest

The Janesville Police Department and Rock County Sheriff’s Office sent a heavy presence of officers and deputies trained in crowd management to the event.

South Main Street was closed to vehicle traffic between East Court Street and St. Lawrence Avenue. The police department said this was a standard pedestrian safety measure.

One arrest was made involving an individual not associated with the protest nor its participants, according to police.

Joseph Fryer, 48, of Janesville, was arrested and booked into the Rock County Jail and faces multiple charges, including disorderly conduct, operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated as a second offense, threats to law enforcement, battery to law enforcement, resisting/obstructing an officer causing injury and a probation violation.

According to police, he drove to the event and became aggressive while demanding access to a closed parking garage at the Rock County Courthouse and verbally berating officers. One police suffered a minor hand injury during his arrest.

Police said Fryer was on probation for violating a domestic abuse order, with conditions that included he not possess or consume alcohol.

Veteran brings rifle, cites oath

One of the “No Kings” protesters was military veteran Andy Vance, who carried a rifle and cited his oath to defend the U.S. Constitution.

“I remember my oath to defend this country, the Constitution against threats, both foreign and domestic,” Vance said. “And now we’re in that time of domestic.”

Vance, who identified himself as a former U.S. Marine Corps machine gunner who served from 2004 to 2008, acknowledged that his presence with a weapon was unusual but said it was necessary.

“I’d much rather not even be here today. I was nervous as hell stepping out of my door,” Vance said.

Vance said he supports a well-regulated militia per the Second Amendment but said a more immediate priority must be protecting democracy. He called the Trump administration’s recent deployment of military personnel to U.S. cities including Chicago “disgraceful.”

“I know that the guys that are being de ployed. I know that they don’t want to be doing this,” he said.

Confrontation

There was a brief, heated confrontation at the rally after a teenage boy walked through the crowd of “No Kings” protesters and made a series of derogatory comments. Protesters yelled back, calling him a “Nazi.”

The confrontation escalated when “No Kings” participant Nathan Ballou, a disabled Janesville resident, crossed the street in his wheelchair, and continued exchanging words with the teenager.

Ballou said the teen followed him back across the street, at which point Ballou said, “Oh, you are a Nazi.” The teen’s father then intervened, yelling in Ballou’s face.

Other protesters were drawn toward the altercation.

“I knew the crowd was with me,” Ballou said. “I never felt threatened.”

He described the words exchanged as “kind of negative, but that’s them,” adding that the protesters had a legal right to be there.

The teenager’s father declined comment.

Counter-protesters

A small group of less than 10 people showed up with red clothing promoting Donald Trump, and carrying signs depicting Jesus and a large wooden cross.

Counter protester Michael Ingals said he was present to “represent” his support for both the president and Christian faith, and stressed his opposition was peaceful.

“I’m just out here to represent more or less. I’ve got my cross to represent Jesus, but also, of course, you know, I support Trump,” Ingalos said, adding that he considers the Gospel “the most important thing we need, to keep Christ first in everything.”

Ingalos voiced a mixed view on the protesters’ ideas. He said while they are “all children of God” and have some “good points,” he disagreed with their central claim.

“Frankly, I think it’s absolutely useless,” Ingalos said of the “No Kings” theme. “We still have a king. His name is Jesus. So, we haven’t had a king in this country since 1776.”

He also expressed disappointment that an organized alternate protest was canceled, calling it an excuse to “not show up.”

“After (the death of conservative activist) Charlie Kirk, that should have sent a message that we shouldn’t back down from what we believe,” Ingalos said.

Ingalos said he faced “a lot of hatred” Saturday from some of the “No Kings” protesters, including being cursed at, which he said he views as a “blessing.”

“The difference is they hate me, but I love them,” he said.

Power in Positivity

Roe, meanwhile, said kindness and positivity was the aim of the “No Kings” demonstrators.

“I’ve come to learn that hatred is exhausting, and hatred can really prevent you from getting a lot done,” Roe said.

Embracing others and seeking out “joy and ... small wins” is a more powerful force, she argued.

“When you live and you look for joy and you look for the small wins, and you embrace everyone, that is more powerful than anything else that we have,” Roe said. “And it ultimately will win.”

Edie Baran, one of the Janesville event organizers as a member of the Town Hall Coalition, said the turnout “says something very important: the people are listening and watching. They are becoming more aware of what is happening and most importantly, they are willing to express their displeasure publicly.”

“What you witnessed on Saturday in downtown Janesville was over 1,000 individuals who came together to express their collective love for their country, as well as their collective displeasure with this administration. The message was loud and clear: No kings! No dictators!” Baron said in a statement.

Nationwide protests

Protesting the direction of the country under President Donald Trump, people gathered Saturday in the nation’s capital and communities across the U.S. for “ No Kings ” demonstrations — what the president’s Republican Party is calling “Hate America” rallies.

This is the third mass mobilization since Trump’s return to the White House and comes against the backdrop of a government shutdown that not only has closed federal programs and services, but is testing the core balance of power as an aggressive executive confronts Congress and the courts in ways that organizers warn are a slide toward American authoritarianism.

Many protesters are especially angered by attacks on their motivations for taking to the streets. In Bethesda, Maryland, one held up a sign that said “Nothing is more patriotic than protesting.”

In Washington, D.C., Brian Reymann carried a large American flag and said being called a terrorist all week by Republicans was despicable.

“This Is America. I disagree with their politics, but I don’t believe that they don’t love this country. I believe they are misguided. I think they are power hungry,” Reymann said. “The vilification of others that this country has adopted right now — it’s sad, it’s pathetic and it’s terrifying.”

Trump himself is away from Washington at his Mar-a-Lago home in Florida.

“They say they’re referring to me as a king. I’m not a king,” Trump said in a Fox 69���� interview airing early Friday, before he departed for a $1 million-per-plate MAGA Inc. super PAC fundraiser at Mar-a-Lago. Protests are expected nearby Saturday.

More than 2,600 rallies are planned Saturday in cities large and small, organized by hundreds of coalition partners.

A growing opposition movement

While the earlier protests this year — against Elon Musk’s cuts in spring, then to counter Trump’s military parade in June — drew crowds, organizers say this one is building a more unified opposition movement. Top Democrats such as Senate Leader Chuck Schumer and Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders are joining in what organizers view as an antidote to Trump’s actions, from the administration’s clampdown on free speech to its military-style immigration raids.

“There is no greater threat to an authoritarian regime than patriotic people-power,” said Ezra Levin, a co-founder of Indivisible, among the key organizers.

Before noon, several thousand people had gathered in New York City’s Times Square, chanting “Trump must go now,” and waving sometimes-profane signs with slogans insulting the president and condemning his immigration crackdown. Some people carried American flags.

Retired family doctor Terence McCormally was heading to Arlington National Cemetery to join up with others Saturday morning and walk across the Memorial Bridge that enters Washington directly in front of the Lincoln Memorial. He thought the protests would be peaceful but said the recent deployment of the National Guard makes him more leery about the police than he used to be.

“I really don’t like the crooks and conmen and religious zealots who are trying to use the country” for personal gain, McCormally said, “while they are killing and hurting millions of people with bombs.”

Rallies were held in major European cities, where gatherings of a few hundred Americans chanted slogans and held signs and U.S. flags.

Republicans denounce ‘Hate America’ rallies

Republicans have sought to portray participants in Saturday’s rallies as far outside the mainstream of American politics, and a main reason for the prolonged government shutdown, now in its 18th day.

From the White House to Capitol Hill, GOP leaders disparaged the rallygoers as “communists” and “Marxists.”

They say Democratic leaders, including Schumer, are beholden to the far-left flank and willing to keep the government shut down to appease those liberal forces.

“I encourage you to watch — we call it the Hate America rally — that will happen Saturday,” said House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La.

“Let’s see who shows up for that,” Johnson said, listing groups including “antifa types,” people who “hate capitalism” and “Marxists in full display.”

In a Facebook post, former presidential contender Sanders said, “It’s a love America rally.”

“It’s a rally of millions of people all over this country who believe in our Constitution, who believe in American freedom and,” he said, pointing at the GOP leadership, “are not going to let you and Donald Trump turn this country into an authoritarian society.”

Democrats try to regain their footing

Democrats have refused to vote on legislation that would reopen the government as they demand funding for health care. Republicans say they are willing to discuss the issue later, only after the government reopens.

But for many Democrats, the government closure is also a way to stand up to Trump, and try to push the presidency back to its place in the U.S. system as a co-equal branch of government.

The situation is a potential turnaround from just six months ago, when Democrats and their allies were divided and despondent, unsure about how best to respond to Trump’s return to the White House. Schumer in particular was berated by his party for allowing an earlier government funding bill to sail through the Senate without using it to challenge Trump.

In April, the national march against Trump and Elon Musk had 1,300 registered locations. In June, for the first “No Kings” day, there were 2,100 registered locations.

“What we are seeing from the Democrats is some spine,” Levin said. “The worst thing the Democrats could do right now is surrender.”

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said he wasn’t sure if he would join the rallygoers Saturday, but he took issue with the Republicans’ characterization of the events.

“What’s hateful is what happened on January 6th,” he said, referring to the 2021 Capitol attack, as Trump’s supporters stormed the building to protest Joe Biden’s election victory. “What you’ll see this weekend is what patriotism looks like.”