Pillsbury Press: No Kings Day -- June 14, 2025

Upon hearing about the "No Kings" protests taking part around the country (around the world) on June 14, my mom told me she wanted me to take her to one to celebrate her birthday. There were several to choose from: Trenton across from the State House, Lambertville, Pennington by the Pennington Market, Princeton's Monument Park, or even farther afield in Asbury Park or Philadelphia.

As this was mom's first protest, and violence has been rising since T illegally called in the National Guard to Los Angeles and the peaceful demonstrations started to turn violent. Dad was worried about mom's safety, and I was worried if she had a bad experience she wouldn't want to return.

Not my picture

We brought dad's walker in case she got tired, but with the rain decided to keep it in the car. The event was scheduled from noon-1:30 pm along the sidewalk in front of the Pennington Market parking lot. What was not in the schedule was the massive downpour. Best estimates are one thousand people turned out to stand on the side walk and wave signs to the passing cars. No speakers were scheduled. No chants organized. Only a long line of people waving to passing cars.

Mom and I decided to walk the line and count the number of protesters. An astonishing challenging task even with people standing in a straight line that stretched south beyond the designated parking lot to the next property, and around the corner on the northern edge of the line. We each counted over 500 to the halfway point.

I bumped into Heidi, who organized the first protest I attended in 2017, and Maggie, a friend from Lawrenceville who was attending with her daughter-in-law. I learned later through Facebook that other friends were in attendance. People tended to look alike when hiding under an umbrella and rain coat. I was surprised to bump into two friends.

Seen in line were parents taking their babies and toddlers to their first protest. People older than my mom standing aside people closer to my age. A gentleman in Revolutionary War attire and a woman dressed as a Handmaid extra from the famous miniseries. Most protesters are white. They came from towns surrounding Pennington (pop. 2,4000), as far as Jackson, NJ (about 50 minutes away) according to the MercerMe reporter.

The rain kept many signs at home, or in cars. Speaking of cars, the vast majority of those passing us (including semi trucks) beeped in support. I only saw two give us "the Jersey wave." It was the support of the truck drivers, a group I picture to be made up of mostly MAGA T supporters that pleasantly surprised me the most. Some passengers recorded us. Others showed us their signs from the warmth of their cars.

Earlier that day a protest took place in nearby Lambertville, NJ. They, also, had 1,000 protesters. Unlike Pennington, they coordinated displaying pieces of paper that on one side formed a giant "No Kings" sign, and on the other an enormous American Flag. They then had a drone fly overhead to better appreciate the joint effort. Their creativity made the 50501 newsletter that was sent out the next day.

Local press covered the event in Pennington.

Here is my panoramic picture taken as we left around the one hour mark with squishy shoes, mom's wet cell phone, and soaking wet jeans. Next time I protest in the rain I am wearing Wellingtons.

After drying off, I headed into Princeton's Monument Park. Not ready to stand outside in the damp air (fortunately the rain had stopped), I went late. I thought I would be able to park on Library Place, but a quick glance down the street showed cars parked head to toe along both sides of the street. I ducked onto Lilac, only to see someone snag the last spot. A homeowner carrying a No Kings sign waved me into her spacious driveway. I graciously accepted.

Monument Park was PACKED! They had speakers lined up, including US Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman, who in the end could not attend. A small portion of the group stayed closer to the street, waving their signs. With the rain on hold, people were more comfortable sharing their creative signs. One of the speakers said he estimates between three and five thousand people were in the park.

As with the Pennington protest, there
were a few drivers flashing their middle fingers, but my negative takeaway from the event was the small subgroup of people with FREE PALESTINE banners and loud chants. Everyone is entitled to their own protests, but on this day on this spot was about current American politics. Let the Free Palestine protesters organize their own event instead of coopting this one.

As for the police, I heard one in Pennington tell us to get off the slippery grassy hill and stand on the sidewalk for our safety and witnessed another in Princeton stop traffic so pedestrians could safely cross the street. In other words, no signs of police brutality.

In the moment I did not bump into anyone I know. As with the Pennington event, I later learned I knew people there (no surprise there). The protest seemed to be breaking up early since some of the speakers were unable to attend. I returned to my car to free up the parking space for the homeowner and prepared myself for a large traffic jam. It wasn't that bad.

Reports are coming in that up to 13.14 million people protested in the United States. That is about the 3.5% historically it has taken to force changes within the government. Not factoring in that number are the people (like me) who attended more than one event that day. There were over 2,600 protests in the United States from enormous ones in Philadelphia and New York City, to smaller ones in traditionally Republican-held Southern towns.

On a day that started with the news that two Minnesota lawmakers and their spouses were shot inside their homes by a man pretending to be a police officer, the day ended with peaceful gatherings.

Posters from Princeton, some covered in plastic for protection from droplets coming down from trees: