Video courtesy Indivisible Livingston
Livingston County residents attending today’s No Kings events Saturday were part of the largest day of protest in United States history. According to national organizers, over 8 million people took to the streets across the country in over 3,300 events to protest President Donald Trump’s policies and actions.
Three of those events took place in Livingston County.
An estimated 4,000 people rallied outside the historic Livingston County Courthouse in Howell, around the Brighton Mill Pond, and in the public park at Howell and Main streets in Pinckney to share their frustration with the Trump administration, despite the chilly, windy weather.
In Brighton, No Kings protesters in winter coats showed up with music, signs, and costumes. The vibe was calm and peaceful as attendees listened to a lineup of presenters on topics reflected in the signs they were holding. There were a couple No Kings chants happening, cheers and boos when controversial topics arose.
Protesters lined the streets with vehicles non-stop honking at them. There were people waving American flags and pride flags. Some common phrases on signs were “No King,” “No war,” “Power to the People,” “Protect free speech,” and “ICE out.” There were even a few custom-made T-shirts and people in inflatable costumes throughout the crowd.
Some of the speakers included state Rep. Jennifer Conlin of the 48th District; Ellen Lafferty of the League of Women Voters; Dan Berland of Ranked Choice Voting; Rob Hower, a Democrat running for the 22nd state Senate seat currently held by term-limited Republican Lana Theis; veteran Adam Smiddy; and poet Isabella Mansfield.
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The speakers kept emphasizing “don’t boo, vote” when reading parts of the SAVE act, which was one of the main subjects of the event.
Hower spoke on the topic of ICE. He mentioned “unjustified murders” and ICE agents not being investigated. He also referenced the U.S. Constitution and the importance of it, trying to inspire people to come together and stand up as a unit.
“We are citizens of a free country, we will never bow to a king,” Hower said. “We are hardworking people, we hold the power, we the people will never support a king of the United States. We can no longer assume that others will do the work for us, we have to work together.”
Other topics included controlled media, free speech and press being challenged, disability rights and more.
There were people monitoring the area for the city, helping pedestrians cross any streets when needed, ensuring the area stayed peaceful, and that walkways remained clear on the sidewalks and throughout the Mill Pond.
A man walking through the crowd, referring to the attendees as “demoRATs” and “libtards,” pushed a protester, but was quickly calmed down by security.
Below is a slideshow of photos from around the county, courtesy of Daniel Burress, Nancy Johnson, Bridget Janis, Matthew B. Mowery, Michael Stuart, Pat Wilkinson.
