Arizonans who gathered in Tempe and across Arizona on Saturday to protest President Donald Trump said they have plenty of reasons to be concerned about his administration.
Hundreds gathered at Cole Park for another No Kings Protest, many sporting signs with images of frogs — a new mascot for the anti-Trump movement stemming from protestors donning frog costumes in Portland.
Several protestors even wore their own frog costumes along with a variety of other animals. At one point, people cheered, “ribbit!”
Protestors began at the park and marched in a loop crossing over the Superstition Freeway and back again.
Concern over immigration policy
Jim Cottam was there protesting for the first time in his life. He’s a registered Republican, but said he considers himself an independent now.
“I'm definitely for controlled immigration, but not for pulling people off the street and out of their homes. I thought he was going after criminals, not just the average person,” Cottam said.
Other protesters voiced frustrations over Trump’s effort to defund federal programs and worries about losing free speech protections, as well as more anger over immigration policy.
Concern for constitutional rights and democracy
Former Republican Brad Wilson said his biggest concern is what he views as a general disregard of constitutional rights under the Trump administration.
“Trying to stop the media from presenting truth, the use of ICE to deport people without due process, just ignoring civil liberties that we fought for as a nation, that we stand for as a nation,” Wilson said.
Like many attendees, Wilson said that he never protested in his life until attending two No Kings protests within the last year.
The Tempe protest was one of dozens across the state.
In the days leading up to the protest, top Republicans denounced the event as the “hate America rally” and described its supporters as violent.
But those who protested in Tempe, like Shelley Bontrager, were peaceful.
Bontrager said she’s afraid for democracy and wants the Trump administration to understand by seeing the protests that Americans don’t support their actions.
“It makes me feel better. If I wasn't doing this, I don't know what I would be doing. I'd be sitting at home screaming at the TV,” Bontrager said.
Concerns about character, checks and balances
For newly-registered Democrat Sam Lind, it’s Trump’s personality and a lack of accountability which is most upsetting.
“I feel that he's been condescending and patronizing, and that’s not how a president should act. And I feel like he’s gone beyond the law, and nobody has any checks and balances for him,” Lind said. “His position was supposed to be for honorable people but he's not being very nice to say the least. He's an evil person.”
Lind is another former Republican and said he hasn’t protested in years, not since he was on the “other side” protesting against abortion at clinics.
Chandler resident Becky Kumm is an independent, and this is her third No Kings protest. She said she believes Trump is unfairly targeting people he doesn’t like.
“It hurts me to think that someone like that is choosing to hurt, deliberately hurt people, not help people. He's a sick person,” she said.
Concern about funding cuts and education
Former elementary school teacher Randy Magie said his biggest grievance with the Trump administration is budget cuts and especially those which affect education.
“They've cut the budget so much that they don't even have, they don't even have help now for special education teachers. It's just a disaster what he's doing to the education system,” Magie said.
Demonstrations across the Valley
More than 40 No Kings events were planned across Arizona this weekend in cities like Phoenix and Tucson and stretching as far north as Tuba City.
No Kings at Cole Park in Tempe, Arizona
Hundreds gathered at Cole Park for another No Kings Protest, many sporting signs with images of frogs — a new mascot for the anti-Trump movement stemming from protestors donning frog costumes in Portland.
No Kings at 35th Avenue and Bell Road in Phoenix, Arizona
Hundreds were gathered at the intersection of 35th Avenue and Bell Road in north Phoenix starting at 9 a.m.
Many attendees were holding signs and singing. Vehicles driving by were honking both in support and in opposition to the protest.
At least seven groups were scheduled to meet along Bell Road on Saturday morning, starting from 35th Avenue all the way to Surprise, according to the No Kings website.
No Kings at the state Capitol in downtown Phoenix, Arizona
No Kings at Bell Road and Civic Center Drive in Surprise, Arizona
A No King protest in Surprise stretched a little less than a half-mile just before 10 a.m. Saturday, mostly on the south side of Bell Road near Civic Center Drive.
Cars going east and west on Bell Road honked in support, and some cars were also decorated with protest signs.
People were also still filing in to both ends of the line of demonstrators, with the organizers saying the protest was scheduled 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
There were at least two stations set up to decorate signs.
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