No Kings protests to return to Butler County
For the third time in President Donald Trump’s second term, “No Kings” rallies will take place across the country — including here in Butler County — to protest the administration’s actions and policies.
In Butler County, rallies are taking place in Adams Township, Evans City and Zelienople, according to the No Kings website. Rallies are also happening in all surrounding counties.
Over 3,000 No Kings rallies nationwide are scheduled for Saturday, March 28, with dozens happening across Pennsylvania.
According to No Kings, the purpose of the rallies is to protest a range of things, including what participants see as democracy backsliding under the Trump administration, threats toward other countries and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity and mass deportations. No Kings also hopes to highlight more recent issues, such as the war in Iran, rising gas prices and the push to pass the SAVE America Act.
“Our goal is to say we want to save our democracy. And we think things happening now in our government are often distractions from what’s happening to our democracy, to the danger of voting rights,” said Janet Grill, one of the Zelienople protest organizers.
No Kings has described itself as a “national day of action and mobilization against the Trump administration.” Organizers said the name is derived from Trump and his administration “pushing the limits of executive power and undermining the Constitution.”
When previously held, No Kings rallies have drawn hundreds of people each, with thousands in some locations. The first round of rallies took place last year on June 14, the same day Trump held a 250th anniversary military parade for the U.S. Army that coincided with his birthday. Another round of rallies occurred Oct. 18.
When the first rallies were held, the largest Butler County demonstration took place at the corner of Route 19 and Freedom Road in Cranberry Township. Close to 1,000 participants gathered on all four corners of the intersection and lined up down the road.
At the time, protesters cited protecting Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security; the administration’s policies on tariffs, immigration and deportations; supporting LGBTQ+ rights; and layoffs implemented by the Department of Government Efficiency as reasons for turning out.
Catherine Lalonde, chair of the Butler County Democratic Committee, said a few committee members have been involved with planning for the upcoming events and that people have reached out with questions about the rallies.
“I imagine there will be quite a good turnout. Especially with this war. Now we have another foreign war, as well as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement still being very big in the news,” Lalonde said.
Grill said Wednesday afternoon 81 people had officially signed up via the website, though organizers expect at least three times that number to show up.
“There will be people from around the area. We’ll have signs and music. It will be an opportunity for us to speak out in what may be a largely conservative neighborhood,” Grill said.
According to its website, the “No Kings” events have been put together by more than 100 organizations, protesting what it characterizes as the Trump administration defying court orders, attacking civil rights and “disappearing people off the streets.”
Butler County No Kings rallies
• The Zelienople rally will take place from noon until 2 p.m. at Zelienople Park on the corner of Main Street and Grandview Avenue.
• The Adams Township rally will be held at the intersection of state Route 228 and Adams Ridge Boulevard from 1 to 3 p.m.
• The address given for the Evans City demonstration is 133 E Main Street, at the corner of Main and North Washington streets, from 3 to 6 p.m.
