Vancouver crowds call for ‘No Kings’

Two protest marches happened without incident on Saturday, with large crowds in east Vancouver and Vancouver Waterfront Park voicing opposition to the Trump administration’s policies.

In east Vancouver, sign-waving protesters formed a solid line for nine blocks along East Mill Plain Boulevard between Gretchen Fraser Neighborhood Park and Southeast 164th Avenue.

Downtown, a march snaked for several blocks along the sidewalks near Vancouver Waterfront Park with minimal disruption to street traffic.

Both events were dubbed “No Kings” protests, part of nearly 2,000 events planned across the nation Saturday to coincide with an unprecedented military parade put on by the Trump administration in Washington, D.C.

While protesters held signs advocating for several causes, such as trans rights and an end to Israel’s actions in Gaza, two issues were at the forefront: opposition to raids targeting undocumented immigrants and policies that protesters believe are eroding democracy.

Karina Crumrine came to the waterfront protest alone, donning a red dress a relative made for her, complete with embroidery in a traditional Mexican design. She said she was nervous about attending her first protest, but she felt close to tears when she arrived and saw the teeming crowd.

“I’ve almost cried like five times,” she said. “The first time I almost cried was on my way in, because I walked in by myself, and I felt like a big target wearing the dress. But I made some really nice friends, and we walked in together, and then when I saw this — it was so heartwarming.”

Crumrine said she felt driven to attend Saturday’s event in part because of the Trump administration’s actions on immigration enforcement. She said she couldn’t be silent any longer.

“It’s not just for my kids, who have brown skin, but also for everybody else’s kids who don’t have a voice,” Crumrine said.

Protesters marched along Waterfront Way chanting things like “No hate, no fear, immigrants are welcome here,” “This is what democracy looks like” and “This is America; we have no kings.”

Vancouver resident Nanis Gilmore said she came to the waterfront to counter President Donald Trump’s miliary parade in Washington D.C., scheduled for later in the day.

“It’s a show of power,” she said about the parade. “We want to show this power.”

The waterfront protest was planned by Acorn Baden, a local volunteer who has been associated with nationwide umbrella group 50501, and by a group called Our Revolution.

Baden did not have an estimate of how many people were at the event but said she was impressed by the turnout.

“They are very passionate about families, communities and neighbors and working together and democracy and community,” Baden said. “It’s our country, not one person’s or one group’s country.”

Alan Unell, an advocate for health care reform who helped organize the east Vancouver march, was likewise buoyed by the turnout, which far exceeded his expectations.

“We hoped for 700,” he said. “This is several thousand.”

Saturday’s marches followed a week of unrest in Los Angeles, where protests against immigration enforcement turned violent. The Trump administration responded by ordering deployment of the National Guard, over the objection of California Gov. Gavin Newsom, along with nearly 700 U.S. Marines.

Prior to Saturday’s events, organizers voiced concern about potential clashes involving counterprotesters and outside agitators. None happened, and no organized opposition to the protests was seen at either site.

“I’m very grateful to Gov. (Bob) Ferguson for encouraging nothing but peaceful protest,” Unell said. “We don’t want the military in the streets. That will further suppress our voice, and we will lose. We have to be peaceful and nonviolent the whole way.”

Baden said Saturday’s events show that momentum is growing behind opposition to Trump. She hopes that energy can be focused into change at the top of government and how federal policies impact those without wealth or power.

“We want to remove Trump from office,” Baden said. “We want to reverse the damage that he has done. We want not only to reclaim the democracy that we had before he got into office; we want to revamp that democracy so this country works for everyone and not just the billionaires and the ruling class.”