Cold and Windy Conditions Did Not Deter Passionate Crowd on North Drake Road
*KALAMAZOO, Mich.* — A "No Kings" protest covered the sidewalks once again on the west side of Kalamazoo on Saturday, March 28, where it was high traffic and high volume on North Drake Road. The Indivisible activist group brought hundreds of people, signs, and honking cars, with the Iran war a main focus on its one-month anniversary.
While it appeared to be a smaller crowd than October's rally, the crowd standing by the road was just as passionate in its distaste for the current administration.
"Today is my 75th birthday..." Barbara Morris said. "...and I can think of no better way than to express my love of the country, but my disapproval of what's going on."
Many protesters told News Channel 3 they disliked the president not only politically, but personally. Signs criticized immigration enforcement and the handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files, along with the war.
Protesters Give Diverse Reasons for Showing Up
Protesters themselves gave differing reasons why they came out on a cold and windy afternoon.
"If all of the money that we were spending on the war was put into our health care system instead, it would solve a lot of problems and help a lot of people," healthcare worker Dan McClain said.
"The connections of the powers that be, the abuse of women and immigrants, the collective slavery of capitalism," Valarie Bader said. "I'm kind of here for all of those things colliding."
State Rep. Julie Rogers (D-41) spoke with protesters concerned about national voting legislation with the SAVE Act.
"Making sure that we uphold everyone's right to cast their ballot and cast their vote is top of mind for me," she said.
Indivisible Greater Kalamazoo and Mobilize Drive Turnout
Indivisible Greater Kalamazoo collaborated with the organizing platform Mobilize to achieve the turnout. They say they're shifting their focus to the midterms and canvassing voter concerns in 2026.
"One leader of Indivisible said she opposes the Iran conflict for what she calls unclear messaging, and hopes for a greater focus on domestic issues," News Channel 3 reported.
"Is it an operation? Is it a war?" Mutual Aid Coordinator Katie Tolhurst asked. "We've gone back and forth, we don't even want to be there."
Nationwide Context: Third No Kings Rally Across Michigan
This marked the third nationwide "No Kings" protest in West Michigan. The demonstrations swept across the state as part of the largest civil actions in the United States since the first Earth Day 55 years ago, with millions participating nationwide on October 18.
The rallies drew on American Revolutionary ideals from the Declaration of Independence, which rejected the rule of King George III. Organizers said the No Kings name came from the notion that President Trump is acting more like a monarch than an elected official.
White House Response to Protests
The White House has been critical of the protests. White House Deputy Press Secretary Abigail Jackson called the protests "Trump derangement therapy sessions" in a widely distributed written statement on Friday, March 27. She added that the "only people who care" about them are "the reporters who are paid to cover them."
Protesters Also Focus on Rising Costs and Economic Inequality
Among the protesters' other concerns: The rising costs, including the sudden surge in fuel prices. Regular gasoline in Michigan this week has averaged more than $4 a gallon.
Protesters also said they were dismayed that America was headed toward a so-called K-shaped economy, in which lower and middle-income households struggle even as the nation's top earners thrive.
"Every day, gas is higher and higher, and life is more and more unaffordable for everyday people," George-Michael Higgins, a protest organizer from Fraser, said. "And that's why we're out here today to take back our country from the billionaire class."
"Despite the rhetoric we've seen from this administration — that is determined ... to clamp down (on) anything that goes against their narrative — we have the freedom to peacefully assemble and demonstrate against lawlessness coming from the federal government," Higgins said.
Immigration Enforcement Remains Major Focus
In Kalamazoo, there was no significant counter-protest from the opposing side. The demonstration drew on the notion that Americans still have a voice despite federal rhetoric.
Looking Ahead to Midterms
Indivisible Greater Kalamazoo and the Mobilize organizing platform say they're shifting their focus to the midterms and canvassing voter concerns in 2026. The group wants to ensure voters are informed about what's at stake in the upcoming November election.
The protest appeared to be a smaller crowd than October's rally, but the crowd standing by the road was just as passionate in its distaste for the current administration.