Protests draw estimated 11 million nationwide
Over two thousand Yakima County friends and neighbors lined the intersection of E Valley Mall and Main in Union Gap on June 14th to show solidarity for democracy…along with an estimated over eleven million people nationwide.
Although the numbers at the “Celebrate Democracy/No Kings” event reflects the growing concern citizens have nationwide about recent news events, the party-like atmosphere at the gathering was cheerful and upbeat. Many waved American flags in honor of Flag Day, and many dressed in red, white, and blue. Residents lined the sidewalk for hundreds of feet along the intersection up to three deep with signs with slogans like: “This Land is Your Land” and “We Need Farmworkers, Not Kings.”
Yasmin Roque and Marisol Lopez (above), two young friends who came to the “Celebrate
Democracy” event together, both said they were there to stand up for the Latino community. They each carried signs that read: “Dreams Are NOT illegal” and “This isn’t about politics, It’s about humanity.”
Yakima residents Rena and Ben Lawler (above) also designed a sign about their concern for the safety of the Valley’s large Latino population.Rena carried a handmade sign that read “With Immigrants, Yakima Thrives—Justice for All,” while Ben carried a big American flag.
“I’m incredibly frustrated with the direction this country is taking with the respect to the values people depend on,” Ben said. “Everyone being here today to show they believe in the same cause is part of the power we have in this country.”
Yakima Indivisible’s event in Union Gap was a part of an estimated nearly 2,000 registered “No Kings” events nationwide, coordinated by the national Indivisible group. Statewide, there were about 80 Indivisible-coordinated registered demonstrations.
