SALT LAKE CITY — Across the state on Saturday, thousands of Utahns gathered in their communities to protest as part of the nationwide "No Kings" movement.
There were more than a dozen locations, and FOX 13 News reporters went to a few of them to show what was seen and heard as people voiced their opposition to the current presidential administration.
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SALT LAKE CITY
A group called Salt Lake Indivisible organized the demonstration at the Utah State Capitol.
"We are showing our spirit for how we feel about the Trump administration right now," said Mark Miller, a protester at the event.
Utah Highway Patrol estimated that at least 2,000 people were in attendance. For Miller, the large turnout was a significant part of the protest's message.
"It means a lot," he said. "The actual number is going to count a lot, I think, to them, and they’re going to be looking at the numbers, I hope."
Other protesters shared their passions for participating.
"I’m just here to help defend our country, help defend our way of life, our constitution," said Michelle Speckman. "I’m not sure if it’ll do any good, but I like to get out here and have my voice heard because that’s what I think our country is about... I feel like now more than any other time in my life those freedoms are being threatened."
While the majority of the people on Capitol Hill were part of the organized protest, some, like G.T. Yewbanks, came to observe and express their own views.
"Came down to see what chaos was and show up with my own protest," Yewbanks stated, expressing his support for President Donald Trump. "He’s great. Haven’t had a president anywhere close to as good as him."
Despite differing political views at the event, the protest and counterprotest remained peaceful, allowing for all voices to be heard.
ST. GEORGE
The weather was less heated for the second “No Kings” rally at Vernon Worthern Park in St. George on Saturday compared to the first one in triple-digit temperatures in June, with a mild 72 degrees.
The tone also appeared to be less heated with more of a party atmosphere including people in animal costumes alongside flags and signs.
No speeches. Just people interacting with each other. More of a kumbaya than a kaboom.
Also cooler was the headcount. The number of those protesting the Trump Administration, this time in a mild 72 degrees, was also less. By Fox 13’s estimation about 100 less than the 800 St. George Police estimated were at the same park in June.
Police said they did not have an estimate Saturday.
Geoff Allen, chairman of the Washington County Democratic Party, said the reason was a little competition. Unlike June where St. George was the only organized protest between Mesquite, Nevada and the Wasatch front, there were also rallies Saturday in Cedar City, Kanab and across the state border in Mesquite.
Allen and others who said they attended both rallies estimated close to the same number gathered at Main Street Park in Cedar City.
Allen also said the lack of speeches was both deliberate and a necessity. Stemming from changes to St. George’s public permit laws where a $165 fee was added for the use of amplifiers for public speakers.
The changes came after the city lost a lawsuit for denying a drag show a permit.
“We weren’t going to pay that and we thought this was a chance for people to interact with each other,” Allen said.
Among those who attended both rallies was Jennilee Kanosh and her mother Chelsea. A member of the Kanosh Band of Paiutes, Jennilee added a smell of insense in the air by burning sage.
“I see people following without listening,“ Kanosh said of those who support the president. “I don't understand the hatred. I don't understand that.”
“I'd like them to understand that, we the people, you know, in order to form a more perfect union, wiill sometimes protest and that's evidenced and goes back in history clear to the Boston Tea Party” said Jim Bassett of Washington City. He was among those in costume, wearing a Minecraft inflatable Chicken Jockey outfit.
Most honks and yells from cars driving by the hundreds gathered along 400 East in St. George were supportive. There were two to three vehicles circling by multiple times that were less friendly, yelling expletives and one giving a nazi salute.
On the ground, one person expressing support for the president yelled at the protesters but then just as quickly left. Otherwise according to police on the ground no arrests or incidents with one officer using the words “well behaved” and “really nice” to describe the crowd.
There were two moments where paramedics showed up. Officers said both were “tripping” incidents and nothing serious.
Some prominent conservatives both in Utah and the nation have responded that there is a paradox: If someone has the freedom to hold 'No Kings' protests all across the country, the government does not have a king.
But Steven Daniels of Hurricane, wearing a kilt of his grandfather’s Scottish ancestry, said he feels the actions of the current president have been king-like,.
“We would negate everything that this country was founded on. We just don't have a king. We fought a war to get away from a king.”
Responding to an accusation by U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi that the protest was “evidence of antifa funding,” Daniels noted his grandfather fought in World War II.
“My grandfather liked to say he was the original anti-fascist.”
PROVO
Thousands more gathered in Utah County, outside Provo City Hall. From there, protesters lined the surrounding streets as passing drivers honked their horns.
“We’re just really concerned that our president is acting like a king," said Sarah McConkie, a co-leader of Indivisible Utah County. "He’s consolidating power by trying to shut down freedom of the press, free speech; his tactics against immigrants have a lot of people really concerned."
Some attendees held signs, while others even wore costumes.
“This is just the way that you show that you love America," said protester Richard Johnson. "This has nothing to do with hating America, this is about loving America and everything it stands for.”
Provo's rally was peaceful. There was no organized counter-protest, although some Trump supporters were in the crowd, also remaining peaceful.
“I don’t think that we have anything close to a king, any semblance of a king, so I think the premise is a little silly," said Jared McArthur, who was there to show his support for Trump. "But obviously, Utah and Provo is a red state, a red country. Just wanted to kind of show up and say, 'We’re here too and we support our president.'”
The demonstration ended with a call-and-response chant of “No Kings!” between those in front of city hall and across the street along 500 West.
LOGAN
In Logan, demonstrators gathered outside the Cache County Historic Courthouse. One of the was counting attendees with a clicker and said they had more than 1,600.
