About 2,000 peaceful protestors attend Redding’s No Kings march

The No Kings protest in Redding featured a wide variety of signs and citizens. Photo by Richard DuPertius.

Saturday, under blue skies and warm spring temperatures, Redding earned its place on the national protest map when it joined more than 3,000 other towns and cities across the country where citizens showed up to participate in the No Kings march. Participants were vocal in their in protest of President Donald Trump, his administration, and his decisions about everything from the war in Iran and immigration to the Epstein files and the economy.

Several estimates concluded that approximately 2,000 citizens attended Redding’s march, and perhaps many more. The atmosphere was upbeat and friendly as hundreds upon hundreds of people made their way down both sides of Cypress Avenue, across the Sacramento River, and back again.

Photo by Richard DuPertius.

There were many veterans.

Photo submitted by George Fredson.

There were senior citizens, such as Tom O’Mara and Alice Wilkinson of Happy Valley.

Tom O’Mara and Alice Wilkinson of Happy Valley showed up at Redding’s No Kings march. Photo courtesy of Tom O’Mara.

In addition to scores of individual protestors, there were multigenerational families, couples, and professional organizations represented.

Also present were diehard voter-registration advocates like Frank Treadway of Redding, who wore a paper Burger King crown with a handwritten message written across the front, “No King” as he carried voter registration applications at the ready for his voter-registration pitch.

Frank Treadway photo courtesy of Jessica French.

There were many, many signs. Some signs were serious.

Others — probably the majority — were humorous.

Photo submitted by Jolene Kingsley.

Yet other signs were a mixture of serious messages imparted with humor.

Photo courtesy of Richard DuPertuis.

Buffy Tanner of Redding attended the No Kings march, and noticed a few things.

“I was pleasantly surprised by the enthusiastic and supportive honking of SO MANY cars driving by. Would estimate that easily a third of the vehicles passing by were VERY supportive,” she said. “Only a handful (literally five or six?) were visibly negative (flipped birds, thumbs down, shaking head, one gentleman in a continuously circling truck with a ln all-red US flag that apparently is a nod to Hegseth’s ‘no quarter, no mercy’ vibe). The rest of passers-by worked really hard to pretend they didn’t see us. I forgot to take photos.”

She recalled her favorite sign: “Flip us off if you voted for a pedophile.’

Photo courtesy of Richard DuPertuis.

Denise Ohm said there was a “Raging Grannies” performance, complete with a circle of chairs for marchers to relax.

Photo courtesy of Denise Ohm.

Ohm said she noticed a change from the last No Kings protest she attended in Redding.

“The format this time was more chill.” Ohm said. “I noticed that people came early but stayed almost the entire time. There were several gatherings of people in the shade, playing instruments.”

Retired Redding Police Department Sgt. Mike Thomas, who was part of the event’s organizing team, said in his Facebook post that he’d attended nearly every major protest in front of the Redding City Hall since “Trump 2.0” began, and he noticed a few differences from the previous marches.

“(Saturday’s) No Kings protest definitely had more younger people,” he said. “Nonetheless, people from across the demographic spectrum were represented!”

Thomas also observed that supportive honking from passing traffic, while present at previous protests, was nearly non-stop Saturday.

“As usual, the people in the protest demonstrated a lot of camaraderie with each other and a generally positive attitude about being there,” he said. “From someone on the Safety Team for the protest, I only saw two counter protesters. In line with our goals, it was a peaceful and non-violent protest.”

Photo submitted by Michael Thomas

Even so, Thomas said he and his wife encountered one “disappointing” exchange Saturday.

“As the march was heading back westbound on Cypress Avenue, my wife encountered three teenage boys (estimated to be 14 or 15) walking eastbound on the same sidewalk. As my wife passed them, one of them said, in a sarcastic manner, ‘I follow Hitler,’ ” Thomas said.

“I was not that far behind my wife, at the tail end of the march, and encountered the same three boys. As they passed me, one of them said, ‘Heil Hitler.’ Whether he thought he was making a twisted joke or was serious, it’s sad commentary on the influence of the far right upon our youth today. Nonetheless, he correctly perceived that we were the anti-fascists in this story now playing out in our country.”

Photo submitted by Michael Thomas.

Photo submitted by Michael Thomas.

Diana Wright Troxell described the No Kings march as a “wonderful day”. Troxell said she was surprised by two things.

” 1. Most people were my age!! So many MLK followers and “recycled “Vietnam war protesters. Loved it,” she wrote. “2. How many honking supporters drove down the street!”

Photo submitted by Jolene Kingsley

A News Cafe readers are familiar with journalist Jon Lewis, who attended the No Kings march, which he pronounced as a fun event.

“I was impressed by the number (2,000 easily) and variety of people who turned out,” he said. “Lot of great signs, lot of camaraderie. And a huge thanks to the young couple handing out bottled water to lunkheads like me who forgot to bring any.”

He shared a video, taken across Cypress from Redding’s City Hall.

Choir director and retired music teacher Karen Hafenstein was especially taken by the signs.

“There were so many more signs protesting a veritable plethora of situations,” she said. “(There were) more people, and a wonderful atmosphere of smiles and conversations.”

Photo submitted by Karen Hafenstein.

Jolene Kingsley said it was, “great to see our young citizens paying attention!”

Photo submitted by Jolene Kingsley.

Photo submitted by Jolene Kingsley.

Erin Friedman of Cottonwood said the march was fabulous. “I get such joy from doing SOMETHING positive in the midst of the chaos that is the current administration,” She said. “My daughter and I had a grand time.”

Photo submitted by Erin Friedman.

Maggie Souza voiced a frequently expressed sentiment regarding her motivation to attend the No Kings event.

“It’s always a joy to be with like-minded people expressing opposition to this toxic US government,” she said.

Photo submitted by Maggie Souza

Creativity was on full displayed, as was the case for textile artist Gini Holmes, who quipped, “Embroidery on the march! Glad that Rhenn and I got there early.”

Photo submitted by Gini Holmes

The event, organized collaboratively by Indivisible Redding/Shasta, Shasta Coalition, Redding Resistance and SEIU 2015, lasted from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m., with the march officially beginning at 12:30 p.m. Some water and snacks were passed out along the way.

Some people offered water and snacks to protestors. Photo provided by Merlynn Hernandez Wierzbicki.

Organizers encouraged participants to bring signs and wear inflatable animal costumes. Like this one.

Photo submitted by Debbie Kaut.

And this one.

Photo provided by Debbie Kaut.

The march featured food trucks, but also held a food drive to benefit the non-profit Pathways to Housing.

Meanwhile, in Red Bluff, just south of Redding, Tricia Parker Hamelberg said about “200 peaceful, cheery people” gathered. “We enjoyed lots of friendly waves and honking.”

Approximately 200 people attended Red Bluff’s No Kings’ rally. Photo provided by Mary Rushka.

Mary Rushka agreed. “Many more supportive honks than ever!” she said of Red Bluff residents’ reactions. “Great day under the sun with like-minded folks.”

Yet further away, in Eureka, A News Cafe assistant Barbara Rice said, “Unsure about total turnout here in Eureka, though estimates range from 3000 to 4000. Little Trinidad had 300! Here’s my favorite.”