Thousands of Eau Claire protesters turned out on Saturday, Oct. 18 to participate in the widespread “No Kings” protests. This was the second protest under this name to take place in the United States during the Trump administration’s current term.
The movement — which drew at least 5 million people across the United States and thousands more globally — was formed in opposition to the Trump Administration. In Eau Claire, residents flocked to the Owen Park pavilion on Saturday morning carrying homemade signs, memorabilia and American flags.
After convening on the park lawn, the crowd divided into groups and marched through town. Some went toward South Barstow Street, while others walked down Water Street or crossed the footbridge to the UW-Eau Claire campus.
The Eau Claire Police Department had officers posted throughout the crowd. The officers conversed with protesters throughout the morning.
Prior to the march, Cyndi Greening of local social justice group Chippewa Valley Indivisible spoke out into the crowd.
“We’re here today to fight for the country we love so much,” Greening said. “Fighting for our family, for our friends and for our constitution so that all people are equal under the law.”
Greening said the group was protesting against ramped-up ICE detainments, military deployments in Portland and Chicago and cuts to benefits like healthcare and education.
A protester named Sarah, who declined to share her last name for privacy reasons, said she wants to highlight the role of children in social justice movements.
She set up a table in the park with coloring pages and framed sheets of paper depicting children’s activism from 1903 through 2018, such as the Birmingham Children’s March, the March of the Mill Children and March for Our Lives.
“In my mind, as a mom of two, I think children have a lot of power,” Sarah said. “We don’t give them enough credit for being independent thinkers and strong-willed individuals.”
In addition to Chippewa Valley Indivisible, organizations like Citizen Action of Wisconsin, JONAH Justice, Wisconsin Conservation Voters, League of Women Voters of Wisconsin and the Eau Claire County Democratic Party were in attendance on Saturday.
Gloria Hochstein, vice chair of the Eau Claire County Democratic Party, said she wants to emphasize that the movement is not “anti-American.”
“I’m here today to hand out a lot of flags and buttons that show we love America so much,” Hochstein said. “That’s why we’re doing this — because we love America.”
Fred Kappus, chair of the Republican Party of Eau Claire County, said he did not pay any attention to the “No Kings” protests.
“What a useless joke to parade around with signs and say ‘No Kings,’” Kappus said. “See, all these people suffer from a case of ‘Trump Derangement Syndrome.’ People have such a dislike and or hate for Donald Trump that they can’t even see straight.”
Protester Jane Reineke said she wants to restore the meaning of the flag. As an on-and-off Eau Claire resident of 35 years, Reineke said she attended the protest because she feels Trump is unfit for office. She specifically cited issues like immigration and healthcare.
“We have got to get rid of (Trump) because he’s destroying our country,” Reineke said. “I drive around, and I see those American flags, and I no longer know what they represent.”
Greening said the crowd should not let their activism begin and end at the “No Kings” protests.
“I want each of us to stand up and make sure that our America is a country governed by and for the people,” Greening said. “Unfortunately, the last nine months have taught us that nobody is coming to save us, so we have to save ourselves.”
Wojahn can be reached at [email protected].
