Moscow shows up in their “No Kings” protest 

On March 28, Moscow participated in the third “No Kings” protest that was held in thousands of cites across the United States and multiple countries. Protesters held signs denouncing the current administration and gave speeches before marching to a busy intersection to demonstrate. 

The protest started in Friendship Square in downtown, where speakers tested the audience’s civic knowledge by asking questions like who was running for governor and senator in the state, as well as ensuring participant’s voter eligibility.  

Community members had organized stands for demonstrators to make their own signs for the later demonstration. 

The protest moved to Ghormley Park, where co-organizer Brandon Urie from Indivisible Moscow thanked participants for the large community turnout. People brought free water, snacks, shirts and yard signs, and local cafe, Cafe Artista, brought free coffee and hot cocoa. Then Urie played “Streets of Minneapolis” by Bruce Springsteen over the speakers and said, “if this doesn’t make you feel patriotic, I don’t know what will.”  

The crowd practiced their chants before leaving the park to go to the intersection of Pullman Road and Stadium Drive. Cars whizzed by and honked their horns for the chanting demonstrators. 

“Congress needs to push back on the president,” said a demonstrator “They have laid down and are doing nothing — with the war, the tariffs, with everything… In the state of Idaho, we need to be an independent state and not bow down to the president.” 

Participants said that this demonstration was about reaching the people of the U.S just as much as the leaders. 

“We are concerned that the forest research center is suffering,” said a retired U.S. Forest Service worker, “I’m really concerned with what’s going on with our federal employees and our natural resources.” 

Demonstrators said people need to ask, “What is this president doing for me?” and “What is he doing for our democracy?” 

They also emphasized the unjust treatment of minorities by this administration, specifically listing women, people of color, low-income families and students, who are “losing the opportunity to go to a university that is fully funded and accepts everyone.” 

“This is what democracy looks like,” the crowd chanted. 

Sam Walch can be reached at [email protected].