βNo Kingsβ wants voters, not just crowds
The nationwide βNo Kingsβ protest movement took its opposition to President Donald Trump from the streets to the ballot box Saturday, holding rallies across the country to encourage early voting ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm elections.
Organizers billed the latest demonstrations as a nonpartisan effort to increase voter participation and protect election integrity, marking a shift from the massive anti-Trump marches that have defined the movement since his return to the White House.
In Washington, demonstrators gathered at the Lincoln Memorial carrying signs reading βVOTE EARLYβ and βHANDS OFF MY VOTE!β Similar events took place in New York, Los Angeles, Atlanta and communities across the country.
At an Atlanta rally, City Councilman Michael Julian Bond urged participants to recognize the power of their ballots.
βYou donβt see Superman giving up his power,β Bond told the crowd, according to The Associated Press. βYou donβt see Black Panther giving up his power.β
But the movementβs officially nonpartisan message did not prevent some demonstrators from explicitly advocating Democratic victories.
In Alexandria, Virginia, protesters told Fox News Digital they wanted Democrats to win control of Congress, despite national organizersβ instructions against endorsing candidates or political parties.
βWe got to take the power away from Trump, from the Republicans,β one participant said.
No Kings spokesperson Eunic Epstein-Ortiz defended the movement as a peaceful, nonpartisan coalition. Individual protestersβ political statements do not, by themselves, establish that organizers violated election laws.
Start your day with essential news from Salon.
Sign up for our free morning newsletter, Crash Course.
The rallies also came amid escalating disputes over voting access. On Thursday, the Trump administration sued California election officials over mail ballots from people federal authorities identified as potential noncitizens. The Justice Department subsequently warned local election officials about possible criminal investigations involving such ballots.
With Election Day approaching, the movementβs latest demonstrations reflected a new emphasis: turning public opposition to Trumpβs administration into participation at the polls.
Read more
about βNo Kingsβ protests
The post βNo Kingsβ wants voters, not just crowds appeared first on Salon.com.