No kings, just crowds

NORWALK — Demonstrators gathered Saturday across Erie and Huron counties as part of a coordinated round of No Kings protests occurring nationwide with local organizers estimating nearly 1,000 participants across six communities. The events marked the third wave of No Kings protests following earlier demonstrations on June 14 and Oct. 18. The movement has drawn crowds in large cities and small towns across the country with participants describing it as a response to actions taken by the administration of President Donald Trump and a broader call to defend democratic norms. Firelands Indivisible, led by Kate Rivet, organized protests in Norwalk, Huron, Vermilion, Milan, Wakeman and Bellevue. Organizers estimated turnout at about: • 150 in Norwalk • 160 in Huron • 400 in Vermilion • 90 in Milan • 115 in Wakeman • 50 in Bellevue "Our decision to host six different protests in six different small towns really paid off," Rivet said. "We had so many new people come out to show their support for our democracy," Rivet said. "And by hosting the events in their hometowns, many people met local folks who felt the same strong feelings about the direction the Trump administration is taking." Rivet said the Norwalk gathering drew steady support from passing drivers and remained peaceful throughout the day. "We had a beautiful, community-building day in Norwalk with tons of honks and support from the passersby," she said. "We were grateful to the Norwalk police for having a presence which helped to dissuade the more obnoxious drivers who tried to smoke us out with exhaust." Similar scenes played out in other communities. In Bellevue, organizer Karen Prelipp said drivers frequently signaled support. "Fifty protesters in Bellevue were greeted with many honking horns, waves and thumbs up," Prelipp said. "Lots of semi truck drivers blew their air horns loud and long, something I haven't seen before." She added that police intervened when a counter-protester attempted to disrupt the event. "One of the three counter-protesters was trying to blare a constant siren to drown out our support, but the Bellevue police shut him down within 3 minutes," Prelipp said. In Vermilion, Celeste McKissick described the atmosphere as largely positive. "It was a beautiful day," McKissick said. It was a "very positive response." McKissick said there was only one minor interaction with hecklers and noted that a police officer assigned to the event engaged with participants throughout. In Milan, Robert Wheeler said turnout exceeded expectations. "We had a much larger turnout and far more support than I expected," Wheeler said. "Very pleasantly surprised at Milan." Linda Wheeler described the gathering as peaceful. "It was heartwarming to see so many peaceful people exercising their rights and protesting the ongoing corruption and war," she said. In Huron, Julie Dively said the crowd's size stood out. "I was surprised by how many people showed up in Huron today, and overall they seemed really happy to be protesting in their own town," Dively said. "It was a joyful crowd considering what we are protesting." Dillon Strickler, a high school student who helped organize the Huron event, said the turnout exceeded expectations. "I'm amazed and so proud of my small city of Huron for turning out 156 people to protest this administration's crimes, despite all of the naysayers," Strickler said. A separate protest was held in Sandusky, organized by a different group. Organizers were not available for comment during the event.