Hundreds of Centre County community members gathered in downtown State College on Saturday for a local edition of the nationwide “No Kings” protests against President Donald Trump’s administration.
Nearly 2,000 such demonstrations were scheduled on Saturday in what organizers called a “day of defiance” to “reject corrupt, authoritarian politics.”
In State College, residents young and old filled the space in front of the Allen Street Gates and lined College Avenue several people deep and on both sides of the street for more than half a block in each direction.
Standing in a steady rain starting at about 1 p.m., protesters held signs opposing Trump policies on a range of issues and took part in chants for more than an hour. A stream of participants took turns at a megaphone to speak about the administration’s actions on immigration, funding cuts to scientific research and social services, LGBTQ rights, tax cuts for the wealthy and more, often sharing personal experiences and with many saying it is their patriotism that led them to protest.
A number of passing cars honked in approval, and some had passengers holding signs of their own out the windows.
The gathering appeared to be entirely peaceful with no noticeable confrontations, and it did not take to the street or block traffic (though at times the large crowd at the corners of College Avenue and South Allen Street pushed out to the edge of the roadway). State College police were in the area, but remained at a distance from the crowd.
Event pages for “No Kings” protests, which have been organized nationally by the progressive organization Indivisible, stressed that the demonstrations should remain nonviolent.
“A core principle behind all No Kings events is a commitment to nonviolent action,” a note on the event pages states. “We expect all participants to seek to de-escalate any potential confrontation with those who disagree with our values.”
After about an hour the crowd dissipated as they were exhorted to participate in “Thompson Tuesdays” a weekly protest held outside the Bellefonte office of U.S. Rep. Glenn Thompson, R-Howard Township.
Another, smaller demonstration followed at the Allen Street Gates soon after.
The rallies were being held on the same day as the massive military parade in Washington, D.C. for the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army and coinciding with Trump’s 79th birthday.
The Army birthday celebration had already been planned. But earlier this spring, Trump announced his intention to ratchet up the event to include 60-ton M1 Abrams battle tanks and Paladin self-propelled howitzers rolling through the city streets. He has long sought a similar display of patriotic force.
They also come after days of nationwide protests against federal immigration raids, including in Los Angeles, where Trump’s deployment of the National Guard further agitated his opponents. Several dozen people participated in a “Drive Out ICE” protest in downtown State College on Thursday night, including a march through the streets.
Saturday’s “No Kings” protest in State College was not organized by Keystone Indivisible, the Centre County chapter of the national organization, which partnered with Indivisible – Blair County to host a demonstration in Hollidaysburg and had promoted that event for weeks. Other local community members, however, registered a State College event that sparked interest.
The State College and Hollidaysburg protests were among more than 50 scheduled in Pennsylvania.
The flagship “No Kings” march and rally was held in Philadelphia, where thousands of people gathered in the city’s Love Park and marched to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, where they listened to speakers on the steps made famous in the movie “Rocky.”
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro issued a statement on Thursday saying his administration would “remain focused on keeping our communities safe and ensuring all demonstrations remain peaceful,” and that he would defend the Constitutional right to peaceful protest. He added that his administration was coordinating with Philadelphia officials and state police were working with local police departments in anticipation of the demonstrations.
“Together, we are prepared to keep our communities safe while protecting Pennsylvanians’ fundamental rights – and we will be working around the clock to ensure both the rights of protesters and the wellbeing of our cities and towns are protected,” Shapiro said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
