There are more than 1,800 “No Kings” Protests planned nationally, including ones locally in Ironwood, Eagle River, Park Falls, Minocqua, and Rhinelander.
They’ll happen on Flag Day this Saturday, June 14th.
That’s the day a military parade celebrating the Army’s 250th birthday is planned in Washington D.C. It also coincides with President Donald Trump’s birthday.
The parade is expected to feature hundreds of military vehicles, aircraft, and thousands of soldiers. The Army said it expects to spend anywhere from $25 million to $45 million on the parade.
Why are people protesting?
Mike Shouldice is an organizer of Northern Indivisible, a Gogebic, Iron, & Ontonagon Counties-based chapter of the national Indivisible group.
Shouldice brought up concerns like people being detained without due process, the indiscriminate firing of federal workers, and the cancellation of programs that have been authorized by congress.
“We love our country. We believe in the Constitution and, and we're very concerned that the administration is going in the wrong direction,” said Shouldice. “We're objecting to the excesses of the administration, the cruelty and the chaos.”
Deporting criminals was a major campaign promise by President Trump.
There were more than 51,000 people in ICE detention facilities as of June 1st-the most since 2019. The Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse estimates of those people, about 44% had no criminal record aside from entering the US without permission. TRAC is a data gathering, data research, and data distribution organization that was founded in 1989 at Syracuse University.
The Trump Administration has stood by the funding and employee cuts saying they reduce fraud and waste.
“I believe everybody would like to see fraud, waste and abuse reduced, but the chaotic methods that the administration are using are not targeted on fraud, waste and abuse,” said Shouldice.
Where are the protests happening?
Shouldice stressed they are holding a peaceful protest at the Ironwood Depot. They’ve talked with local police to ensure everybody is safe.
“We're exercising our First Amendment right to have a peaceful, nonviolent rally, and the First Amendment right to assemble,” said Shouldice.
According to the “No Kings” website, this is where protests are planned locally:
Ironwood
Ironwood Depot: 150 N Lowell St.
Noon
Eagle River
Community Square Park: 229 E Wall St
11:00 a.m.
Minocqua
Veterans Park: 230 Front St
Noon
Rhinelander
South Oneida Avenue & East Kemp Street
Noon
Park Falls
Forest Service office: 1170 4th Ave S
Noon
