Local residents join national No Kings Day protest to defend democracy
Residents from all over the county came to show support at the No Kings protest in Dover.
No Kings Day, a nationwide protest movement in the United States, took place June 14, coinciding with Flag Day, the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army and President Donald Trump's 79th birthday. Residents of Tuscarawas County gathered on the square in downtown Dover to participate.
Organized by progressive groups such as Indivisible and the 50501 Movement, locally the event was coordinated by Dover resident Bill Fritz, who opened the assembly with the Pledge of Allegiance. The event aimed to oppose what participants viewed as authoritarian tendencies in the Trump administration.
“Why are we here today at the No Kings Protest? We are here to save democracy, to save American values from want-to-be kings,” said Mike DiDonato, the chairman of the Tuscarawas County Democratic Party. “What do we stand for in this nation? Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. The Declaration of Independence is the heart and soul of our country. What life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness really mean is justice, freedom and opportunity.”
The protests were a response to a more than $45 million military parade held in Washington, D.C., which critics saw as a display of personal glorification and militarization of American democracy. Over 2,000 demonstrations occurred across all 50 states, intentionally avoiding Washington, D.C. to prevent potential confrontations and to emphasize decentralized, grassroots activism.
“So what do we do next? The time to remain silent and stand on the sidelines is over. As we make our voices heard today, let's remember that we always have the right to assemble peacefully in our country,” DiDonato said. “We must remain calm, rounded and composed today and for every protest we may have in the future.”
Participants in No Kings Day advocated for the protection of democratic institutions, civil liberties and social programs while opposing policies they perceived as favoring the wealthy elite and undermining public services. The movement's slogan, “No Kings,” underscored a rejection of monarchical or authoritarian rule, reaffirming the principle that power in the United States resides with the people.