“Umbrellas up,” someone warned their group of friends as the pace of the rain increased from a light mist into a steady thrum. However, rather than dampening the spirits of those gathered for the ‘No Kings’ rally in Athens, it energized them—cheers and chants erupted: “No peace, no crowns, no billionaire fascist clowns.”
The gathering on Saturday, June 14, in College Square Plaza was part of a nationwide wave of more than 2,000 protests. The demonstrations were organized nationally by the progressive group Indivisible to coincide with the U.S. Army’s 250th-anniversary parade and President Trump’s 79th birthday.
The Athens rally received local support from the Athens-Clarke County Democratic Party.
The rally
The event opened in song—though not with the familiar chords of Pete Seeger and Bob Dylan. Instead, organizers struck a note for a younger generation of activists by playing “The Preamble,” a civics-themed tune from
Schoolhouse Rock!
The crowd responded immediately. Many recognized the melody and sang along with enthusiasm as they moved toward the stage.
Roughly 600 people assembled, forming a visibly intersectional coalition. Protesters arrived bearing pride flags, keffiyehs, Mexican and American flags, Black Power T-shirts, and a scattering of faded pink “pussy hats” from the 2016 era. Each symbol staked a claim in the shared message: dislike of the policies of the current United States president and his cabinet.
When asked why they turned out, despite the rain, many attendees offered blunt responses. “I hate Trump,” several said without hesitation.
Annie, a woman holding a sign that read, “No adjudicated RAPISTS calling others ‘criminals’,” explained her motivation. “I’m here because Trump has gone too far,” she said. “He’s an adjudicated rapist and a felon who’s overstepping the Constitution with comic book villains on his team. He’s used the American military against its own citizens.”
Nearby, an attendee named Craig emphasized the importance of countering what he described as “misinformation online.” Several other protestors echoed his concern, warning that, in their view, “democracy is on the line.”
Tension
A small group of counterprotesters engaged sporadically with the No Kings attendees. One man, wearing a fishing hat, lingered on the periphery of the crowd, provoking passersby with taunts that included “pedophile” and “rapist.” While a few in the crowd exchanged insults, most brushed him off with laughter and dismissive remarks.
Across the rainbow-painted crosswalk, a street preacher with an amplifier delivered a blend of gospel and political commentary. His presence quickly drew the attention of pro-trans activists and anti-ICE protesters, who attempted to drown out his message with chants, flags, and dancing. At one point, a protester reached for the speaker, prompting the preacher to warn him that someone earlier in the day had been pepper-sprayed for the same attempt. The protester backed off.
At times, the rhetoric from the stage turned heated. One speaker invoked historical examples of kings and politicians who had been shot or decapitated—remarks that drew both raised eyebrows, but mostly resounding applause from the crowd. The comment came just hours after the fatal shooting of Minnesota State Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, the recent murder of two Israeli aids in Washington D.C., and in the shadow of last year’s attempted assassination of President Donald J. Trump, lending a charged undercurrent to the day’s proceedings.
The Athens way
The rally’s color and whimsy added to the atmosphere and matched the creative spirit often found in Athens. Groups of attendees arrived in coordinated costumes, including red robes and white bonnets from
The Handmaid’s Tale
, a satirical portrayal of Vice President J.D. Vance, and even an inflatable T. rex.
Brightly colored signs and banners bobbed above the crowd and the entire scene unfolded at the intersection marked by Athens’ rainbow-painted crosswalk. Along the edges, people sat at outdoor bars and patios, sipping beers and talking politics as the rally pulsed around them.
For some, the rally served as a call to action; for others, a moment of community amid perceived political uncertainty. Whether in costume, behind a sign, or seated at a café table discussing policy over pints, participants engaged in a long-running American tradition: public demonstration as a reflection of deeply held beliefs—voiced loudly, colorfully, and, in Athens at least, undeterred by the weather.
The Athens protest was among dozens held across Georgia on Saturday.
In Gainesville, close to a thousand people showed up for the first of
two rallies downtown
.
Other ‘No Kings’ protests were held in Albany, Atlanta, Columbus, Douglas, Douglasville, Fayetteville, Forsyth County, Gwinnett County, Hiram/Dallas, Macon, Marietta, McDonough, Newnan, Savannah, St. Mary’s, Summerville, Tucker, Valdosta, Warner Robins, and Woodstock.
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