A protester holds the American flag as the audience listens to a speaker on Saturday. Credit: Daniel Bush | Campus Photo Editor
Thousands from across Ohio gathered on the grounds of the Ohio Statehouse Saturday for the “No Kings” protest, one of many held nationally calling for greater accountability within the U.S. government.
The “No Kings” movement, launched in June 2025, was organized by Democrat and progressive groups looking to challenge policies from President Donald J. Trump’s administration they deem corrupt and authoritarian, according to their website.
The crowd of around 10,000 protestors chanted, “O-H, I-O, Donald Trump has got to go!” among other sayings.
Within the crowd, some posters read, “Pro-American! Anti-Trump,” and “No Tyranny, No King, No Dictators.”
Organizers said their message is about upholding the core values of democracy.
“People come out and have an opportunity to stand up for the things they care about,” Mia Lewis, a No Kings spokesperson and associate director of Common Cause Ohio, said. “The U.S. Constitution, freedom of speech, freedom of the press and freedom of religion.”
There were around five counter protesters who declined to comment.
Some of the protest attendees made the trip to the Statehouse to express their frustration with the Trump presidency.
“Standing up for democracy is so important,” Debbie Sutherland, 59, of Delaware, Ohio, said. “[So is] speaking out against the lies of this administration and everything they stand for.”
Sutherland said she believes Congress has not done enough to hold Trump’s administration accountable.
“There are no checks and balances with this administration,” Sutherland said. “The majority of Congress is folding, they’re advocating [for him] and they’re letting him do whatever he wants to do.”
Among the crowd was a group of veterans who said they felt the president represented the antithesis of the values — including loyalty, duty, respect and integrity, according to the U.S. Army website — they served to protect.
“He called [fallen soldiers] suckers and losers,” Dwight Miller, 70, a Navy veteran from Jenera, Ohio, said. “Why do you think we call him ‘Cadet Bone Spurs?’ That man was born into wealth and privilege.”
Miller said that he believes the president is disconnected from Americans who were struggling to make ends meet.
“He doesn’t know what it’s like to be an average American,” Miller said. “He’s never understood homelessness [or] hunger, and I don’t want him president.”
The protest also drew political hopefuls who said they wanted to hear directly from constituents about their frustrations.
“I was worried about the direction this country was going in,” Chris Volpe, an Ohio State alum and U.S. Senate democrat hopeful, said. “But I want to be an active participant [in] making a future I want to live in.”
Although there were no immediate outcomes of Saturday’s protest, the organizers said it was part of a larger goal.
“We’re not just protesting,” Lewis said. “We’re also encouraging people to vote, to call their congressmen, and to support their communities.”
