‘No Kings’ protest held along Capital Boulevard in Raleigh

RALEIGH, N.C. — Protesters lined Capital Boulevard in Raleigh on Saturday afternoon as part of a “No Kings” protest, part of a series of demonstrations across the United States on Saturday by critics of Republican President Donald Trump and his administration. 

“I was out here for the first one and I couldn’t wait to be out here for the second one,” said Jackie Alces, a protester. The rally Saturday is the third mass mobilization and the second “No Kings” protest since Trump was elected to his second term as president.

“It is energizing to see like-minded people,” Alces said. “I tried to get more of my like-minded people to come out and they were hesitant. They’re afraid that something’s going to happen. Like we are peacefully protesting, we are not here to cause problems.”

Car horns and other noisemakers filled the air while protesters waved signs and chanted messages along the busy street. One woman who is the daughter and granddaughter of Holocaust survivors says it was important to be out there.

“People here are saying it’ll never happen, but it’s happening,” said Catherine Tabor. “I have my mom and grandma’s passport. When you first walk in my house, that’s the first thing you see. I have it in a shadow box right by the front door. And I think about them all the time.”

Not everyone who was there was in favor of the protest. Some stopped by to see what was going on. 

“It made me curious,” said Rex Caesar, who stopped by the protest. “I wanted to see some people’s opinions on why they’re anti-Trump, and we’ve been able to talk to a few people. It’s definitely cool to hear people’s experiences and what they feel about Trump and really just hear them out.”

Others say they were there to make their voices heard.  

“I feel that if we don’t put our voices out there, we’re complicit with … what they’re doing, and I’m not happy with what they’re doing,” said Alces.

Republican supporters of Trump have dubbed the protests “Hate America” rallies, and the North Carolina GOP on Saturday called on Democrats to end the federal government shutdown.

“Far-left radical Democrats shut down the federal government to brag at these events they shut down the government to stop President Trump,” Matt Mercer of the N.C. GOP said in a statement. “Democrats must stop holding the government hostage at the expense of military service members, low-income families, and federal law enforcement.”