Linda Oliver stood among thousands of protesters in downtown St. Louis on Saturday, voicing what she said many in the crowd were feeling: fear, frustration and a growing sense that President Donald Trump is acting with cruelty while consolidating too much power.
“He hasn’t even been in a year, and he’s caused problems for so many people,” said Oliver, who lives downtown. “Some of it is just down right mean. He hurts people.”
Other St. Louis participants described the “No Kings” demonstrations — locally and nationwide — as a way to be seen and heard, to push back against an expansion of presidential authority and to signal to elected officials that opposition is building, even as many acknowledged the protests may not produce immediate change.
New national polling underscored the moment. A Reuters/Ipsos survey released four days earlier showed Trump’s approval rating at its lowest point of his second term, with just 36% of Americans approving and 62% disapproving.
Oliver was among several protesters who complained that Trump is too authoritarian and said she hopes the event sends a message to politicians who enable him.
“I want political leaders to know this is not what we want, and the way it’s going you will be out of office,” she said. “Everything is going Trump’s way, and there is no way everything can keep going Trump’s way, as evil as he is.”
The main march and rally began and ended at Aloe Plaza on Market Street. Other “No Kings” events were held across the region, including at the Tamm Avenue overpass spanning Interstate 64 and in Metro East. Nationally, more than 8 million people participated in over 3,300 events, according to organizers.
For many in St. Louis’ Black communities, the protests also echoed a long tradition of public demonstration tied to civil rights, voting access and political power.
Protesters held signs addressing a range of issues, including the war with Iran, aggressive immigration enforcement, high energy and food costs and what they described as corruption by Trump and his allies.
Iesha Dixon of Sauget, Illinois, participated in the demonstration with her activist husband, JD Dixon. She normally leaves protesting to him, but she felt compelled to participate for the first time. She said she hopes the event helps people see the harm Trump has caused.
“I hope people see the real Trump and the way things are going,” she said, “It doesn’t look good for the USA.”
“The United States doesn’t need a king, and Donald Trump is doing everything to show us that he’s going to do everything he wants to do,” said Sam Washington of University City. “He doesn’t care about the people. He’s concerned about himself.”
David Bryant sees such marches and rallies as examples of collective resistance that politicians can’t ignore. He believes each event puts pressure on them to change policies that rile up voters.
“We’re not going to continue to tolerate these things that our government is doing to us,” said Bryant, who grew up in St. Louis but now lives in Florissant. “We’re gonna stand up, we’re gonna wake up and we’re gonna clean up and we’re gonna get woken up to start using our voice to shut down America.”
During the march, passing motorists honked and shouted — most indicating support for the event, others signaling support for Trump. St. Louis Public Radio reported that at least a small number of counterprotesters appeared at the downtown rally, including Reagan Pulliam, an 18-year-old from west St. Louis County, who held a sign reading “ICE IS GOOD.”
“I’m out here today because I want to defend the lives of everyone who’s been killed by these illegal immigrants,” Pulliam said, adding that she believes Trump “is doing a great job” enforcing immigration laws.
Republican officials nationally were more broadly dismissive, with a White House spokesperson characterizing the protests as driven more by media attention than widespread public concern.
Protesters acknowledged that big, flashy events draw attention, but on their own will not change the issues they are protesting. Yet they said it is within their power to force change. Iesha Dixon explained it in simple terms:
“Vote the right way next time,” she said.
Reagan Pullium*
I’m curious….What kind of push back is this without any leaverage? Leaverage that will pressure the correct politicians before the mid term elections. This is no more than clattering noise that the “king” and his imps will just blow off.