Manatee County joins nationwide anti-Trump No Kings protests. Take a look
Hundreds of residents gathered around Manatee County as part of a nationwide protest in response to President Donald Trump’s military parade Saturday.
Across the country, thousands of “No Kings” protests were planned in direct response to several of Trump’s policies, including the administration’s controversial crackdown on immigrants.
Two different protests were held in Manatee County — one near the Rocky Bluff Library in Ellenton and another near University Town Center along University Parkway. Other rallies were planned in Sarasota, Tampa and other Florida cities.
The scheduled protests across the country come on the same day as a military parade in Washington, D.C., to celebrate the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary, which coincides with Trump’s 79th birthday.
“Our goal with No Kings Day is to send a message to Washington that millions of us are not happy with the chaos created by this president and the danger he poses to our democracy,” said Liv Coleman, a member of the Indivisible Manatee Leadership Team that helped organize the local events.
A website for the No Kings movement describes the nationwide protest as a direct response to Trump’s policies. It also highlights a dedication to peaceful civil protest.
“No Kings is a nationwide day of defiance,” a message on the website said. “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.”
More than 300 people gathered in front of Ellenton’s Rocky Bluff Library around 9 a.m., standing alongside the sidewalk to join Manatee County’s No Kings protest. They waved a combination of American flags and signs with direct criticism of Trump’s policies and the Republican Party.
“Make America kind again,” one sign said.
“I’m here because I love my country,” said another.
Other signs called for the end of “illegal deportations” and argued the GOP had come to stand for “greed over people.”
At the University Parkway protest, roughly 500 demonstrators lined the sidewalk and the grassy shoulder, waving signs, chanting through megaphones and drawing honks from passing drivers. A drumbeat rang out intermittently from one protester in the crowd.
Handwritten signs carried messages such as: “Smokey Bear says only you can prevent fascism,” “No king since 1776,” “Impeach Taco Man,” and “Pro-America, anti-Trump.”
One read, “Elect a clown, expect a circus,” while another showed an image of the Constitution’s preamble with the caption, “He has not read these.” Others declared, “Uphold the Constitution and the rule of law,” and, “When tyranny becomes law, rebellion becomes duty.”
Some signs included a heart symbol next to the word “honk,” encouraging passing drivers to show support. Many did. Car horns rang out frequently as drivers passed the protest, with some waving or giving thumbs-up through their windows.
Not all the honking appeared to be in support. Some vehicles revved their engines or circled the block while blasting their horns, prompting uncertainty among protesters about the intent, but Saturday’s protest remained a peaceful demonstration.
Among the crowd was Clark West, a Sarasota resident holding a blue sign that read “Trump is a Traitor.”
“I’m a 70-year-old man, and I care about my country,” West said. “It’s just unbelievable what is happening. We’re losing our rights and our freedoms left and right.”
West said he became politically active after Trump took office in 2017 and began, in his words, “getting out in the streets and making my voice known.”
West said he believed Trump’s actions are part of a broader effort to consolidate power.
“He’s testing the waters, little by little,” West said. “I think he wants to be a dictator.”
He pointed to the president’s choice of cabinet members and the symbolism of the military parade.
“That’s why we have No Kings Day today,” he added. “We don’t have kings here in this country.”
Saturday’s turnout, however, left him with a positive outlook for the country’s future.
“I’m optimistic. That’s why I’m here,” he said. “We just got to all stand together.”
Jan Aldanuy, 62, held a sign of her own at the other end of the protest. The Bradenton resident said she came out because she fears the country is running out of time to stop what she sees as a steady rollback of civil liberties.
“They’re slowly and surely taking away people’s rights, women’s rights, immigrants’ rights, human rights,” Aldanuy said. “Piece by piece, this administration is trying to destroy our democracy.”
She said the current political climate reminds her of dangerous moments in world history.
“Anybody that knows history can see, my God, we’re in Germany, baby, 1933,” she said. “Everything that this man is doing is parallel to that.”
Aldanuy said she was especially disturbed by immigration enforcement actions targeting places like churches, courthouses and foster care centers.
“These people are not criminals,” she said. “They’re just trying to go to work.”
For Aldanuy, it was her second time protesting the Trump administration. She said she came to stand up for the next generation.
“I’m doing this for my granddaughters,” Aldanuy said. “We had strong women and others march for us in the past. Now it’s our turn.”
Others at the protest shared similar concerns, including Julianne McNellis, a high school teacher in Sarasota County.
McNellis said the immigration crackdown has had a chilling effect on her students and their families.
“I had kids who were terrified because they’re Dreamers,” McNellis said, referring to undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children. “They didn’t know what their future was going to be, if their parents were going to be there, if they were going to be there.”
That same atmosphere of fear, she said, has made many educators hesitant to speak publicly.
“I’m still afraid,” she said. “But I think people need to speak up.”
Both women encouraged others to stay politically engaged. Aldanuy urged residents to track how their representatives vote and hold them accountable.
“People need to contact their representatives,” she said. “If they don’t know who they are, there’s an app called 5 Calls that gives them all the information.”
As the morning went on, the crowd along University Parkway continued to grow. Chants of “Dump Trump,” “Trump Must Go,” “This is what democracy looks like,” and “USA” echoed along the road as cars honked in support and opposition.
Standing by the sidewalk, Aldanuy said she felt urgency but also resolve. “I can’t just sit back and watch everything that I hold true be stripped away.”
Similar anti-Trump protests have been held in Manatee County — and across the nation — in recent months. In April, hundreds rallied along Cortez Road as part of a local “Hands Off” protest pushing back on the Trump Administration’s federal funding cuts.
