‘No Kings Day’ marked with area protests
A man in an inflatable eagle suit walks in the Penobscot protest. Photo by John Boit.
By John Boit
PENOBSCOT-Protesters marked “No Kings Day” with local rallies, each drawing dozens of area residents on Oct. 18.
In Penobscot, around 60 people gathered in the morning at the Penobscot Community School for speeches and then walked to the town hall a quarter of a mile away, where they held signs as passing drivers honked their horns. Later in the day, a similarly sized group gathered in Deer Isle. Castine and Blue Hill also held events.
“We’re here today to celebrate No Kings Day and demonstrate our solidarity and our power,” said Maggie Williams, one of the organizers of the Penobscot protest.
“We are citizens and patriots who love America. We are Americans who are deeply worried about what is happening in our country. And we are saying enough is enough,” Williams said.
Abbie McMillen of Brooksville speaks at the Penobscot rally. Photo by John Boit.
Williams said the rally was organized to demonstrate support for constitutional rights, free speech and freedom of assembly. She handed out copies of the U.S. Constitution and the Declaration of Independence.
The local events were among 2,600 such protests taking place the same day across the United States objecting to the Trump Administration and its policies. Maine had 40 such events.
“We know that we are not a perfect country,” Rev. Charles Stevens of Ellsworth said at the Penobscot rally. “Major mistakes have been made by our country over the past centuries. Biut we’ve learned. We’ve learned to accept the fact that we’ve made mistakes…That we want to make our country ever freer, our democracy ever stronger, and open to more and more people, regardless of their race, regardless of their ethnic background.”
The group then sang “This Land is Your Land,” before walking to the Penobscot Town Hall.
The “No Kings Day” protest in Deer Isle on Oct. 18. Photo by Peter Neill.
Dozens also gathered along Main Street in Blue Hill to mark No Kings Day. Photo by Sherry Streeter.
