Among the approximately 100,000 protestors gathered at Commons Park on the afternoon of Oct. 18, the voices of two high school students cut through the crowd. The air was electric with energy at the No Kings rally in Minneapolis, one of 2,700 demonstrations across the country that together mobilized an estimated 7 million people.
The No Kings movement, centered around nonviolent action against the Trump administration’s expansion of executive power, organized its first nationwide protests on June 14. Bea and Eva, both juniors at Central High School, were excited by the opportunity to use their voices for change.
“I support all the minorities who are being deported without fair grounds, and I think it’s important that we stand up and show up to show that we do care as a community, and we won’t stand for a dictatorship,” Eva said.
Bea also believes in the importance of staying informed and speaking up for those that cannot. “As someone with the privilege as a white person to protest in this country and to educate myself in this country, I believe that’s really important,” she said. “I hope that anybody who also has that power, and also other high school students, I hope you know that you have the tools to educate yourself, and it’s irresponsible to not do that.”
The faces of the crowd were diverse, as were their reasons for dissent: cuts to Medicare, gun violence, threats to a free press, deportations and more. They carried colorful posters and American flags; some were completely hidden inside giant inflatable costumes. The demonstration began with several speeches by prominent activists and state politicians.
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison took the stage around 1:45 p.m. He first asked the crowd for a moment of silence to honor the lives of Fletcher Merkel and Harper Moyski, the two children killed in the Annunciation Catholic Church and School shooting Aug. 27, as well as Speaker of the House Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark Hortman, who were assassinated June 14.
Ellison spoke emotionally about the need for gun control and economic reform. “We don’t only have a gun violence crisis, we have an oligarch crisis,” he said.
After about an hour of speeches, the crowd slowly started moving forward into a march through the blocked-off streets of downtown. Stuck toward the back, Bea and Eva found their moment to speak up.
The two began initiating chants, such as “no hate, no fear, ICE you are not welcome here,” and “show me what democracy looks like, this is what democracy looks like.” Some were call-and-response cheers they had heard at previous protests; they found others online or came up with them on the spot. Their passionate words quickly caught on with the surrounding group.
By the end, their voices were hoarse, but both came away from the protest feeling hopeful and united with the thousands who marched alongside them. “It feels so good to be starting the chants, because it’s so motivating to know that you individually can make change,” Bea said.
Eva agreed: “I think it’s really motivating and empowering to know that there are these people out there who are ready to fight for [these issues].”
Above all, Bea emphasizes the strength in collective action. “The more people that gather, the more people that share their voices as loud as possible, the more power there is … the people have more power than the people in power,” she said.
No Kings organizers are working on a third wave of protests, but an official date has not yet been announced.
