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More than 1,000 demonstrators lined up along the Florida Avenue side of Freedom Park on Saturday for Lakeland’s second “No Kings Day of Action” — a protest against what participants see as a multitude of abuses by the Trump Administration.
“This administration has defied our courts, deported American citizens, disappeared people off the streets, and slashed our services — all while orchestrating a massive giveaway to their billionaire allies,” wrote organizers in the press release.
Protesters carried signs and chanted while passing cars honked in support. Some donned the inflatable costumes seen at other demonstrations across the U.S.
At least one counter-protester was seen carrying a large pro-Trump flag.
Despite it being a busy weekend of events downtown including the return of the Classic Car show, the farmer’s curb market and an Octoberfest-style event at Swan Brewing, “there were no incidents, no arrests and it all went really well,” said Robin Tillet, spokesperson for the Lakeland Police Department.
The Lakeland rally, organized by in part by Indivisible Polk, was one of four protests in Polk County and thousands across the country that drew an estimated 5 million participants nationwide.
Early crowd data complied by The Xylom and data journalist G Elliott Morris estimated that Saturday’s “No Kings Day” was up to 40% larger than the first event in June.
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Thank you for reporting this. Other reports estimated a crowd of over 2000. What might account for the difference in what you observed?