Friday, November 7, 2025
A boisterous crowd measuring in the thousands railed against the policies set forth by President Donald Trump during a "No Kings" protest at the Washington Capitol Campus in Olympia on Saturday, June 14.
The crowd, which officials estimated at around 5,000 people, included teachers, military veterans, longtime activists and local residents.
The protest, organized by Olympia Indivisible, was one of more than 2,000 that took place around the country on Saturday in protest against the Trump administration.
One the people in attendance was Pam Wilson, a longtime activist who grew up in the same town as Abbie Hoffman, a member of anti-war protesters — the "Chicago Seven."
“I feel driven to act like I have not felt driven since I was a kid,” Wilson said. “This is the first time since Vietnam that I have felt like we are losing America.”
Echoing those sentiments was Janice Hopwood, who said she started protesting at the time of the Vietnam War in the 1960s. She attended the “No Kings” rally because she feels it is her “duty to stand up for what is right, and there are lots of things that are wrong" in America.
“This country is going downhill directly,” Hopwood said. “It’s horrible to be my age and see this happen. It’s a heartbreak.”
She was surrounded by plenty of people who felt the same way.
Laurie Rasmussen carried a sign that read “No kings, no dictators, no facism.” Like other participants, she said the Trump administration reminded her of previous dictatorships in history.
“It’s all horrible. It’s all frightening, and it’s all harkening back to Nazi Germany,” she said.
A key focal point during of the rally was the issue of immigration.
During his current presidency, Trump has ordered the Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) to expand the deportation of immigrants, after running a campaign focusing on mass deportations.
The ICE campaign has upended families and rattled immigrants, as well as citizens across the country.
Robyn Chance has a daughter who is Chinese. She said she worries about her, along with the safety of “many Americans" in these turbulent times.
“I want to go back to a time where we could experience a little more freedom and honesty, with the focus on preserving, maintaining and building our democracy, as opposed to moving towards authoritarian rule where people are fearful and where people’s lives are in danger,” Chance said. “I care about our country, and the future of our country for our children.”
Since the beginning of June, there have been at least three ICE incidents in Olympia, according to City Councilman Clark Gilman.
“It looks just like what you see on the TV news of multiple vehicles and a whole bunch of people getting out with masks on,” said Gilman said at a council meeting in June.
He added that he is “doing his best to represent constituents in this awful situation.”
The City of Olympia has been a sanctuary city since 2016, potentially putting it at odds with the Trump administration.
Bob Zigler, who attended the rally, said he was protesting for immigration and for immigrants who have been recently deported back to their origin countries.
“When someone is a wage earner, taking them and deporting them leaves a family very vulnerable,” Zigler said. “This has happened all over the country and they’re increasing all of the time.”
In Los Angeles, protests against ICE raids began on June 6, with Trump deploying the California National Guard on June 8. California Governor Gavin Newsom called Trump’s actions an “unmistakable step towards authoritarianism.”
Zigler agreed.
“You see what’s happening in California, and you don’t know what the president is going to do next as far as the National Guard and U.S. military troops” he said. “It’s a violation of their oath, their oath that they took to defend the Constitution.”
At the rally, Chris Wright held a sign that said “son of a refugee.”
He said his father and his family left Hungary in 1938. During that time, Hungary’s politics and foreign policy had become nationalistic and used an irredentist policy, similar to the one used in Nazi Germany.
“As people of the world, we have to do something,” Wright said. “Joining a crowd like this is at least showing solidarity with the millions of other Americans and billions of people around the world who know what this administration is doing is wrong."
He added, “My grandparents saw the writing on the wall. Thank God for that. Some family members didn’t get out and didn’t survive.”
Another one of Trump’s controversial policies has been the use of tariffs on foreign goods as a means to increase production of American goods.
However, some economists have a negative view of the tariffs, saying tariffs will increase overall prices for consumers.
Cory Eckert is a 65-year-old business owner who said he believes in capitalism. He said that Trump is “not the answer" for the economy.
“My industry had a slow year last year and all the projections said that we would take off this year,” said Eckert while attending the rally.
“As soon as he announced the tariffs, we just continued to be in struggle mode. He destroyed an economy that was improving.”
Thomas Woodruff, a university professor and psychologist who attended the protest, said Trump was “doing damage” for this generation, as well as generations to come.
“He’s brilliant at identifying what people are afraid of — the other,” Woodruff said. “His whole thing is built on division and fear.”
Fellow educator Courtney Nichols said she worries about the direction of education under the Trump administration.
Since the beginning of his second term, Trump has attempted to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education, and threatened funding and accreditation for universities that did not comply with his anti-diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.
“As a teacher, I worry about the lack of access to services and education for children of color,” Nichols said.
For Mary Taylor, being around people who shared her beliefs on the Trump administration is important.
She said she has been attending protests since Trump took office for the first time in 2017.
“I’m here because it helps my sanity to know that there are other people who think like I do,” she said.
Editor's note: This story has been updated to reflect Trump took office for the first time in 2017.
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Honestyandrealityguy
As the Democrats are bringing in the illegal immigrants, human trafficking victims and modern day slavery (From all the illegals), it is taking a strong President to help our country. I really did not believe our last President could find a bathroom by himself. And the Democrats celebrated him? Common sense please.
Monday, June 16 Report this
KatAshe
Thank goodness we’re live in a country that doesn’t bend to tyrants. The demonstrations are working, and I hopefully predict they will grow.
As is usual for Trump, he’s already backing down, telling ICE NOT to grab farm workers, restaurant and hotel workers. Just wait, shortly, they will stop grabbing construction workers and gardeners, and child care workers.
If Trump doesn’t stop raids on slaughter houses, we will all become vegetarians by Labor Day.
Monday, June 16 Report this
GORECKIF
Ah such bravery - protesting against a monarchy that doesn't exist. And our constitutional republic is exercising the judiciary, the legislative, and the executive as the constitution describes. Trump administration will win some but also lose some. And Trump is following the judicial decisions. So much for being a king. And the journalist clearly has his bias for the Democrats. For example in the discussion of the Trump administration regarding the universities, he mentions the DEI issues (the discrimination against majority groups (found to be unconstitutional by SCOTUS) doesn't mention the antisemitism. The baby boomers are fighting against the elected president who ran on all these issues -- so democracy is in play. And while this is shrewd politics it is monarchy malarkey. So scary.
Monday, June 16 Report this
Southsoundguy
Totally astroturfed. Bunch of bored boomers. All hail King Trump.
Monday, June 16 Report this
JW
If they don't even know what gender they are how do they know what a king is?
Monday, June 16 Report this
Tish18
Thank you for the excellent coverage of the NoKingsDay rally and protest at the State Capitol. However, language such as "lashed out" and "railed against" is inflammatory. All NoKings events (and all Olympia Indivisible events) are dedicated to non-violence. We were protesting peacefully. Language is important, and at this time, we need to be careful about how we use it. Again, thanks.
Monday, June 16 Report this
terry
A day of virtue signaling absent any notable signs of virtue. At least they didn’t break anything.
Tuesday, June 17 Report this
Chappellg
Honestyandreality guy is either distorting reality or being dishonest. President Biden not only could always find the bathroom, he also helped lower inflation, leveraged the Inflation Reduction Act thru Congress with no Republican votes which helped raise millions, especially kids, out of poverty, invested in renewable energy & protected our public lands and reawakened a sense of hope & a love of democracy after the disastrous Trump I term. And Trump 2 has already damaged the economy, deported fewer immigrants than Biden & worst of all, he’s threatening to dismantle our democracy with Project 2025 as his guide. Maybe the author only listens to or reads Fox News & Breitbart News.
Meanwhile, JW thinks trans folks don’t know what gender they are. He must not know any trans people. The ones that I know are quite certain of their gender and are only sorry that they were born with the wrong plumbing. All that I know are more than happy with their transition.
Tuesday, June 17 Report this
jmbingham
People seem to be uneducated on the immigration policy. If you are a LEGAL immigrant, you have nothing to worry about. If you are an ILLEGAL immigrant, then you are by definition a criminal in violation of the laws of the United States and don't belong here. They gambled by not entering via any of the legal channels and now they have to pay the price. If I were to commit a crime and get caught, then I would get taken from my family and put in prision. That would hurt my family in many ways, but would people be rallying at the capitol building to say that that was unfair? We have laws for a reason and we need laws to maintain order.
Only ILLEGAL immigrants need to worry, and should really take the offer to get sent home on the US's dime. Then they can apply for citizinship legally and go through the process correctly. It's that simple. Will it be hard on their families, yes. Did they think they could just get away with it without consequences? If you rally for illegal immegrants, then are you going to rally for all law breakers? Shall we just burn the Constitution and become a lawless country?
As for the tarrifs, has no one been following the actual news, not the fake news? The announcement of the tarrifs was a game of poker where we have the strongest hand. The countries that have been taking advantage of us for years with tarrifs of their own on US exports are now making deals with the US to make free trade more of a reality. It is a long game strategy and as citizens we must realize that we have to roll with it and see it through for a brighter tomorrow (even if that 'tomorrow' is a few years from now). No other president in recent history has done more for the people of the United States as a whole than Donald Trump. Do I agree with all the decisions he is making, no. But, is he taking the reigns and taking control of a country that was spiraling out of control, YES!
IF there is anyone that we should be upset with, it should be our own Governor who is raising taxes on our state citizens when our President is trying to cut taxes! It seems so illogical to me that we are so focused on the national scene when our State is suffering so much here at home. Our state government needs to be audited with our own DOGE so we can help our own people here. We need to take control of our own lives and not give control to any government. The government (State or Federal) is supposed to serve its citizens, not control them.
Tuesday, June 17 Report this
TryingToUnderstand
Thank to some of you who took the time to time to share your opinion that support the current administration. I don't agree, but really appreciate hearing how others think and why. I am against the deportation of undocumented people. Like most of us, they want the best for their families and are not able to live a decent, safe life in their country of origin. Many Americans don't truly understand how lucky they are that they were born in this country, and what they would do had the "life lottery" placed them somewhere else. For all the propaganda about 'just doing it legally,' I agree that we need more systems in place for those who work hard and make our standard of life possible, to find a way to citizenship. Unfortunately, that's not the case right now for many, based on eligibility, quotas, costs, and the time it takes.
And BTW - even documented immigrants live in fear right now because policies can change at any time, or be misinterpreted by those enforcing these policies. Let's be honest, if your skin tone is other than white and you speak English with a foreign accent, you are considered "other" and "not from here", regardless how you contribute to making this a great country or how many generations you have been in this country. The discussion focuses on the minority of undocumented people who don't contribute; instead we should focus on the the many, many who do to make America a great country.
Tuesday, June 17 Report this
Virge13
I wonder if I’m looking at the same tRUMP as Honestyand reality guy and the others who spoke in its favor. The current occupant of the White House has made no secret of the fact he’s misogynistic, bigoted, xenophobic and just plain cruel. He is doing NOTHING good for this country, only lining his and his family’s pockets and staying out of prison. Where, by the way, this 34 times indicted FELON belongs.
Tuesday, June 17 Report this
Boatyarddog
Patriots PROTEST because its one of our rights that is under attack. And protected by LAW. Whiners complain about PROTEST because they do little to Protect Freedoms unless it benefits themselves. Because tjey are NOT True Patriots.
Tuesday, June 17 Report this
ViaLocal
GORECKIF - could you please explain how nonviolently protesting against the starvation and genocide of Palestinians is antisemitic?
Tuesday, June 17 Report this
AmberRolleMackey
Organized systemic, hatred and WHITE SUPREMACY is frightening. Being systematically targeted, relentlessly and brutally tortured, by white supremacy- GESTAPO. Horrifically harassed and eliminated from society JUST FOR EXISTING by hate groups in this area. The police are the ones that are "frightening.." by given OVERT impunity to criminal syndicates-connected to organized hate groups, racist and misogynist harassment, serial rapist and serial killers of black women in Thurston county. And the ones standing up to this tyranny out are being targeted and brutally harassed by hate groups in their community just for existing... By feds.
The FEDS are the rioters
Protest is a constitutional Rights against TYRANNY
THE ONES DOING VIOLENCE ARE ACTUALLY* UNDERCOVER AGENTS AND POLICE*
AGENT PROVACATEURS, SUPPRESSING CIVIL LIBERTIES... illegally.
HIRED INSTIGATORS
POLICE undercover among the crowd do MOST IF NOT ALL OF THESE VIOLENT ANTICS to distract the public from a honorable message.
I live in OLYMPIA and the "homeless" appear in the EXACT SAME police trained, military formation every time I raise my fist on the corner to practice my constitutional rights of FREE SPEECH: Against These racist organized hate groups doing Paramilitary ENSLAVEMENT TORTURE OPERATIONS ON INNOCENT black Americans in their own homes. ✊
Tuesday, June 17 Report this
Boatyarddog
All Hail KING Trump? Now THAT is as UNPATRIOTIC as it gets! Those that Utter this Sentiment should Leave the Country Now.
Friday, June 20 Report this
Mugwump
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Friday, June 20 Report this