JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – One of the nearly 2,000 locations for Saturday’s nationwide “No Kings” protest against President Donald Trump’s administration will be right in the heart of Jacksonville’s Southside.
Organizers said they expect close to 1,000 participants at the protest planned for the intersection of Beach and Hodges boulevards, starting at 9 a.m. Saturday.
At least two other protests are planned Saturday in Northeast Florida:
- From 10 a.m.-12 p.m. at Blanding Boulevard and Kingsley Avenue in Orange Park
- From 11 a.m.-1 p.m. outside the Duval County Courthouse in Downtown Jacksonville
Tyra Smude, chair of Indivisible Jax Riverside, which is one of the groups organizing the protests, said the gatherings are an effort to call out what protesters say is an abuse of power in Trump’s policies on immigration and proposed federal spending cuts.
“Governors being threatened, vital programs that we have worked all of our lives for being threatened to be cut -- there are so many things going on,” Smude said. “The rule of law seems to be ignored. We are standing up and saying, ‘No, this is not right. You are crossing the line, and we won’t take it.’”
Charles Barr, chairman of the Republican Party of Duval County, said that as long as the protests remain peaceful, people have that right.
But he disagrees with their position on Trump’s policies.
“I support the crackdown on illegal immigration. I support the bill that the City Council just passed the other day,” Barr said. “I am not going to tell them not to do it, but they are protesting against something that is being done illegally: illegal immigration.”
Barr was referring to controversial legislation the City Council passed that would require the disclosure of undocumented immigrants living in city-controlled public housing and would prohibit city funds for services to people living in the country illegally.
Mayor Donna Deegan’s office issued a statement saying she has concerns about the immigration bill and “will be reviewing it and weighing all her options.”
DeSantis issues warnings
This week, Gov. Ron DeSantis warned protesters that “the line is very clear” and that law enforcement would be ready to act. He also said that Florida drivers have the right to hit protesters if they feel threatened.
“If you’re driving on one of those streets and a mob comes and surrounds your vehicle and threatens you, you have a right to flee for your safety, and so if you drive off and you hit one of these people, that’s their fault for impinging on you,” DeSantistold podcasterDave Rubin in an episode of “The Rubin Report.” “You don’t have to sit there and just be a sitting duck and let the mob grab you out of your car and drag you through the streets.”
In a news conference earlier this week in Jacksonville, DeSantis denounced the violence in the protests happening on the West Coast and said that won’t be tolerated in Florida.
“Do not even try to shut down the streets (in Florida),” DeSantis said. “We’re going to make sure that you don’t do that.”
The governor said law enforcement will be ready to take the proper measures if necessary.
“We are not going to allow that to happen in Florida. I know people are talking about, ‘Hey, there’s going to be demonstrations around the country.’ The line is very clear,” DeSantis said. “Peacefully talking about what you want to do or what you want to see or having any type of those discussions is fine, but the minute that crosses the line, we’re not going to just sit idly by and let the inmates run the asylum.”
According to current Florida statutes, it is a constitutional right to protest, but there are a few rules to keep in mind:
- It is a misdemeanor to willfully interrupt or disturb schools, religious assemblies, or gatherings for lawful purposes.
- Protests are prohibited within 500 feet of residences, cemeteries, funeral homes, or places of worship during funerals or burials, including one hour before and after the event.
- And it is illegal to advertise that individuals are unwelcome based on their religion in public establishments.
Penalties for violating these laws can include fines and imprisonment.
Why ‘No Kings’?
The “No Kings” protests, orchestrated by the 50501 Movement, are set to counter what organizers say are Trump’s plans to feed his ego during a military parade in Washington for the Army’s 250th anniversary — which coincides with Trump’s 79th birthday and Flag Day.
“The flag doesn’t belong to President Trump. It belongs to us,” the No Kings website says. “On June 14th, we’re showing up everywhere he isn’t — to say no thrones, no crowns, no kings.”
The Army birthday celebration had already been planned. But earlier this spring, Trump announced his intention to ratchet up the event to include 60-ton M1 Abrams battle tanks and Paladin self-propelled howitzers rolling through the city streets. He has long sought a similar display of patriotic force.
The “No Kings” theme was orchestrated by the 50501 Movement, a national movement made up of Americans who say they stand for democracy and against what they call the authoritarian actions of the Trump administration. The name 50501 stands for 50 states, 50 protests, one movement.
Protests earlier this year denounced Trump and billionaire adviser Elon Musk, the now former leader of Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency, a government organization designed to slash federal spending.
Protesters have called for Trump to be “dethroned” as they compare his actions to that of a king and not a democratically elected president.
“They’ve defied our courts, deported Americans, disappeared people off the streets, attacked our civil rights, and slashed our services,” the group says on its website, referring to the Trump administration and its policies. “They’ve done this all while continuing to serve and enrich their billionaire allies.”
Where are the protests?
Protests in nearly 2,000 locations are scheduled around the country, from city blocks to small towns, from courthouse steps to community parks, according to the No Kings website.
No protests are scheduled to take place in Washington, D.C., however, where the parade will be held. The group says it will “make action everywhere else the story of America that day.”
No Kings plans instead to hold a major flagship march and rally in Philadelphia to draw a clear contrast between its people-powered movement and what they describe as the “costly, wasteful, and un-American birthday parade” in Washington, according to the No Kings website.
How many people?
The No Kings Day of Defiance is expected to be the largest single-day mobilization since Trump returned to office, organizers said.
Organizers said they are preparing for millions of people to take to the streets across all 50 states and commonwealths.
What is planned?
People of all ages are expected to come together in the protest locations for speeches, marching, carrying signs and waving American flags, organizers said in a call Wednesday.
The group’s website says a core principle behind all No Kings events is a commitment to nonviolent action, and participants are expected to seek to de-escalate any potential confrontation with those who disagree with them.
Weapons of any kind should not be brought to events, according to the website.
