Thousands of protesters gathered at Sayre Park in Glenwood Springs  for a “No Kings” people’s march on Saturday, joining a movement of millions as more than 2,000 other protests criticizing the Trump administration were held in all 50 states.

Coined the “No Kings” Nationwide Day of Defiance, the protests on Saturday coincided with the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army and President Trump’s 79th birthday, which were commemorated with a military parade — estimated to cost between $25 and $45 million — in Washington, D.C,. The “No Kings” theme was designed by the 50501 Movement, — which stands for 50 protests, 50 states, one movement — is an anti-Trump organization made up of working-class Americans. 

Over 40 “No Kings” protests were held across Colorado on Saturday, stretching from Fort Collins to Pagosa Springs. “No Kings” is a nationwide day of defiance,” the No Kings website states. “From city blocks to small towns, from courthouse steps to community parks, we’re taking action to reject authoritarianism—and show the world what democracy really looks like.”

The march in Glenwood Springs, which drew around 3,500 protesters according to preliminary estimates, was organized by Mountain Action Indivisible (MAI). MAI is a local branch of Indivisible, a national progressive grassroots movement formed in response to Trump’s first election in 2016.

“This is like exercising a muscle,” Lori Brandon, a founding member of MAI, told the Post Independent. “We have to keep doing it, we have to keep the energy up, we have to keep calling our representatives and demanding that they fight for us, the ones that are on our side and telling them not to vote for the things that they’re voting for, for those who are not on our side.”

Protesters gathered in Sayre Park around 10:30 a.m. and marched along the east side of Grand Avenue to 11th Street, encouraging a cacophony of supportive honking from passing cars. They crossed the street and marched along the west side of Grand, returning to the park around noon.

Chants of “no kings” could be heard throughout the long line of protesters, who held signs critiquing everything from I.C.E. and Trump’s immigration policies to his treatment of public lands. Some referred to the tariff wars using Financial Times commentator Robert Armstrong’s term TACO — Trump Always Chickens Out, while others waved U.S. and Palestine flags.

“Today, we are joining with millions of people across the country and across the world. There are actions in Germany, Britain, Portugal, all over the place,” protest leader Amy Kimberly told the crowd before marching on Grand Avenue. “The world stands united with us. We all say, hands off our democracy, as well as no kings in America, no military parades, and no Trumpty Dumpty.”

Vibrant monarch butterflies and crowns were commonly seen symbols at the protest, accompanied by an empty, gold-painted throne. Protesters ranged in age from small children carrying hand-drawn signs down Grand Avenue to community elders who stopped on street corners to illicit honks. 

“I am very, very worried about our democracy,” protester Sandy Linn told the Post Independent. “I feel like Congress isn’t standing up against the President, really. I’m here to tell Congress to grow a spine because I know the President is not going to care what we say. So I’m here to inspire Congress to put the brakes on it.”

After marching, protesters gathered in Sayre Park for a group photo, music and closing thoughts from organizers and Colorado House District 57 Representative Elizabeth Velasco (D-Glenwood Springs). 

“We have to stand up for each other, because our rights do not stay behind in our country,” Velasco told the cheering crowd. “They don’t stay in El Salvador, Mexico, Asia, they come with us, because we all have constitutional rights. We all have the right to due process.”

The turnout for Saturday’s march was even larger than the “Hands Off!” day of action rally held at Sayre Park on April 5, according to Brandon. 

 “I think that people want to be heard — we’re all feeling the fear and we’re all feeling like we’re alone and we’re not,” Velasco told the Post Independent after the rally ended. “We are all in this together, we all really care about our families, about our communities. So it is really, really great to see everyone come together today.”

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