Hundreds attend ‘No Kings’ protest in Centreville

By Robert Tomlinson
News Director

CENTREVILLE — The lawn of the historic courthouse in Centreville was the site of one of thousands of nationwide “No Kings” protests against the policies and actions of President Donald Trump’s second term.
Organizers of Saturday’s two-hour event said approximately 400 people attended the protest, one of the largest showings for such protests in St. Joseph County this year.
Protestors lined up along the side of West Main Street with signs such as “We the People Deserve Better,” “Resist Tyranny,” and “No Kings in America,” cheering and waving to passersby as they went along, with many of those passersby honking in support while passing through.
“It was another great event. We had great turnout from around the county, which I was really excited about as we’ve moved these events to a central location for our county,” Ben Karle, one of the co-organizers for the Centreville rally, said.
Around 2,700 locations across the United States held similar protests, with estimates of anywhere between 4 million to 7 million people taking part nationwide, criticizing Trump for what protestors have called behavior akin to a monarch rather than an elected official, as well as his administration’s actions, including immigration raids by ICE and sending National Guard troops into American cities. It was the second major “No Kings” protest put on across the country, following similar protests that occurred in June. One of those June protests took place in Three Rivers.
At Saturday’s event, there were also multiple speakers from across St. Joseph County who gave remarks on the day’s events. Another co-organizer, Rob Vander Giessen-Reitsma, said during his speech while there “a lot of things to be against,” those who attended the protest were there “for something.”
“I think we’re here for a livable future for ourselves, our children and our grandchildren, those generations that come after us,” Vander Giessen-Reitsma said. “If we don’t do something about climate change, if we don’t do something about being able to see the human being that is our neighbor, the future is bleak. We’re here to actually try out democracy. I think it’s a good idea.”
Another speaker, Didimo Arreola of Sturgis, said the event “wasn’t just about politics, but our people,” adding that there is a fear in the prominent Hispanic community in Sturgis to go out in public.
“Hispanic Americans are working in our factories, on our farms, in our schools, and our businesses. We volunteer, we worship, we raise families, and we contribute to this community in every way,” Arreola said. “But because of these immigration policies, too many of our neighbors live in fear – fear that a knock on the door could tear their family apart, fear that speaking out could make them a target. In Sturgis, they’ve taken about half a dozen of our community members. Meanwhile, the powerful in Washington are using our money to fuel that fear, to fundraise, to expand detention centers, to turn human beings into political weapons. That’s not leadership, that’s cruelty.”
Another speaker, Desiree Horrocks, spoke on LGBTQ+ rights and some of the fears about them possibly being rolled back federally. She said when it comes to current leadership in Washington, “the cruelty is the point.”
“By definition, human rights belong to every single one of us. They are not gifts or favors from an elected, or increasingly unelected, person in power,” Horrocks said. “If they can come for one of us, they can come for all of us.”
The protest also included live music from local artists, and booths for registering people to vote if they hadn’t already, ballot initiative petitions, and for signing up for the River Country Solidarity email group.
The big goals of the protest, Karle said, were two-fold.
“At its core, ‘No Kings’ simply states the message that we don’t accept kings in America,” Karle said. “But it’s also about what we are for, and what we are for is about dignity for our fellow citizens. And so, we’re trying to build coalitions in our county of people who are engaged and can find a safe space to collaborate and have difficult discussions and also find strategies to help them feel a part of the democratic process.”
There were no reported violent incidents involving protestors at the Centreville event, and there were only one counter-protestor that stopped by across the street during the event, holding a “Trump 2024” flag. Karle said those that did come to counterprotest were treated with respect by protestors – a reflection of the peaceful nature national organizers aimed for with the protests.
“We had one counter-protester who was very friendly and very engaging with folks. He even asked for a song request – Hank Williams,” Karle said.
While there was some threat of storms during the protest, only a few light sprinkles fell during the event, with much of the forecasted downpours coming well after the protest concluded at 5 p.m.
Looking forward, Karle said there are some “tangible next steps” for those that protested to make a difference and have their voices heard even more, including voting, volunteering, advocacy, economic resistance and personal resilience.
“We know in any movement there’s a role for people. There are some of us that are out there with the microphone and the organizing, there’s others who donated coffee, there’s others who turn out to vote,” Karle said. “And so, we’re really getting at that argument that there’s a role for each person to play in the political process and to fight for the dignity and rights of all of our fellow citizens.”
In the end, Karle said he knows that there are those, especially across St. Joseph County, who do not agree with the message of the No Kings protests or their goals. However, he said he welcomes conversations with people from different viewpoints.
“There’s a seat at the table for everyone, and part of the challenge right now is having conversations with others of different viewpoints, and that’s so important,” Karle said. “I welcome conversations with people from different viewpoints. That’s how we grow as a community, so everyone is welcome at our event. Everyone’s always welcome at our events, and we love to have as much engagement from various ends of the political spectrum. That’s what helps us stay strong and encourage our young people.”