No Kings protests peaceful testament to power of people

Published 1:30 am Tuesday, March 31, 2026

Saturday’s No Kings rally in Vancouver (and several towns in Grays Harbor and Pacific counties), part of a nationwide day of protest against President Donald Trump and his administration, was a remarkable demonstration of peaceful dissent.

Hours later, violence at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Portland was a sad demonstration of misguided threats to democracy and public safety.

Yes, it is possible for discord to be deserving of both praise and criticism. Although many Americans view such actions through their personal political lens, preferring to focus on whatever reinforces their beliefs, the future of our nation depends on a sober assessment of what is actually taking place and the meaning behind it.

In Vancouver and thousands of communities throughout the country, that meant peaceful but often boisterous rallies Saturday to express disagreement with Trump’s policies. Be it aggressive immigration enforcement or the launching of a war in Iran or authoritarianism that leaks toward fascism, thousands of local residents found cause to take issue with the 47th president.

“As I look out into this crowd, I see strong democratic warriors,” state Sen. Adrian Cortes, D-Battle Ground, told the gathering at Marshall Park. “I see that they’re building strong communities and alliances at this very moment. Strong communities don’t wait to be led. They step up to lead, and that’s exactly what we’re doing today.”

Nationally, an estimated 9 million people took part in Saturday’s protest, which was the third to be organized under the No Kings banner. That surpasses the estimated 7 million that participated in October protests — a notable thermometer for the nation’s mood. It is human nature for outrage to diminish over time; instead, Americans’ fury over Trump’s policies continues to grow.

Meanwhile, Trump and his supporters put on blinders while attempting to ignore what was happening. The White House ridiculed the protests, claiming that the only people who care are reporters paid to be there. And right-wing media outlets falsely claimed that the events were funded by left-wing agitators.

Certainly, protests involving some 9 million people pale in comparison with the 77 million who voted for Trump in the 2024 election. But the president ignores the demonstrations at his own peril. As the largest protests our nation has seen since the Vietnam War, the No Kings rallies have tapped into deep-seated strife and a level of opposition that no president has faced in recent history.

In that regard, the protests embrace a valued American tradition. As Thomas Jefferson once wrote: “What country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance?”

That spirit, however, can be cultivated only so long as it remains peaceful. Saturday night, three people were arrested after protests at Portland’s federal immigration facility devolved into vandalism and clashes with police. Charges include criminal mischief and disorderly conduct.

No Kings events, however, have remained peaceful testaments to the power of the American people. In Vancouver, no arrests have been reported in connection with Saturday’s rally. And still the event managed to convey the outrage felt by many Americans.

As one 80-year-old attendee told The Columbian: “These are scary times. I’ve never been so worried about the state of our democracy. I’m doing everything I can, from organizing the vote to coming to protest.”

Dissent, it has been said, is the highest form of patriotism.