Several thousand peaceful protestors flooded Downtown Dayton on Saturday, voicing their disapproval of the Trump administration.
As part of the second wave of the “No Kings” movement, the demonstration added to the over 70 like it in Ohio and over 2,500 across the country.
“No Kings” demonstrations are organized by a number of groups who describe themselves as pro-democracy and who say, since their first round of protests in June, Trump has “doubled down” on his “authoritarian power grabs.”
Dayton’s protestors seem to be in agreement, according to organizer Joy Schwab, with the Dayton Women’s Rights Alliance. Her group collaborated with the organization, District 10 Indivisible for All, to plan the event.
Schwab said the crowd noticeably grew since their first go at it in June. This time, she estimates, it surpassed 4,000 participants, overflowing from Dayton’s Courthouse Square.
“We know people in Dayton and the surrounding areas want to have their voices heard and want to come together in community to express themselves and how they're feeling,” Schwab said.
The crowd started accumulating around noon, claiming their spots and visiting progressive groups tabling with petitions and membership opportunities.
Eli Shapiro engaged with protestors as a leader of the Dayton chapter of Democratic Socialists of America.
“A mass mobilization like this, it certainly has a certain energy, a certain feel to it. It's buzzing a little bit,” Shapiro said. “What really excites me, though, is people coming to tables of organizations, signing petitions, scanning QR codes, signing up on lists to come to the next meeting. What we must do to take it one step further, not just to mobilize, but to organize, join organizations, and get involved long-term.”
Janie and Kevin Ross arrived at the square early, claiming a shady spot.
“We're really upset about the condition of the country under the Trump administration, and we feel like we have to do something,” Kevin said.
They shared they’ve been feeling a sense of hopelessness and were excited for the local opportunity to be part of a national movement.
“This is it. This is history in the making here,” Janie said. “And if you're not a part of it, then nobody knows that you care. So here we are.”
The afternoon began with a performance by the World House Choir, who led the group in song.
Then a series of speakers and musicians took stage, sharing energetic speeches and leading chants. Those included Nan Whaley, former Dayton mayor and now CEO of Planned Parenthood of Southwest Ohio, and Willis Blackshear Jr., Dayton’s representative in the Ohio Senate.
“When we look back in the history books, and generations after us come and say, ‘Grandma, grandpa, mom, dad, aunt, uncle, what did you do when all this was going on? I know what I'm going to tell them, ‘I fought. I fought like hell,’” Blackshear said. “So the question is, what are you going to do? In one way we can fight, of course we're organized, but we also have to fight at the ballot box.”
Protestors then marched through Dayton’s downtown streets, taking Main and Fifth streets to the Oregon District, escorted by city police. They joined in chants, like “this is what democracy looks like” and “hey, hey, ho, ho, Donald Trump has got to go,” garnering honks and cheers of approval along the way.
Christopher Ritter brought along his homemade, Donald Trump replica that he calls Donnie. He said they’ve joined a number of protests.
“Donnie and I, you know, we enjoy these types of things,” Ritter said. “I think it's the community and feeling like you're not alone in this that really matters most.”
The crowd’s wardrobe had a noticeable variety: some donned the encouraged yellow or wore shirts with messaging aligned with the movement. A notable group chose inflatable animal costumes, like dinosaurs, sharks, unicorns, penguins and eagles.
Katy Hill, who wore a chicken costume, said she was inspired by similarly dressed attendees of recent Portland anti-ICE protests.
“It can be really dark and really grim,” Hill said. “So we're trying to just bring a little happiness and a little laughter and to have our own National Guard come against us is ridiculous. So just trying to bring a little fun.”
For her, the protest was a chance to engage and connect with community.
"All humans want connection and we need to be here to support each other no matter what," Hill said. "No matter what we look like, no matter how much we make, no matter what, so we're here to support and love each other."