Humboldt speaks up and packs the block
From Germany to Ireland, Canada to Mexico, New York City to Eureka, nearly 7 million people in the U.S. and worldwide took to the streets on Oct. 18 to speak their minds about fascism and to embolden communal support at the No Kings II demonstration. Here on the North Coast, an estimated 2,000 to 3,000 people attended the local affair organized and promoted by Humboldt Democracy Connections. It began with a march from the North Coast Co-op to the Humboldt County Courthouse, where both sides of Fifth Street flowed with demonstrators — some street corners distinctly crowded and bustling with energy, with some shouting such chants as, “Move Trump, outta the way. Immigrants are here to stay. Women’s rights are here to stay. Palestine is here to stay.”
The first No Kings mobilization, spearheaded by more than 200 organizations including 50501, the American Civil Liberties Union, Human Rights Campaign and Veterans for Peace, took place on June 14 of this year, following the increasingly authoritarian policies of the Trump administration and their endangerment of the most vulnerable demographics in the country. However, following the militarization of major U.S. cities to counter dissent and the rampant kidnapping of community members across the country by ICE (in addition to a laundry list of popular grievances), the coalition doubled down with No Kings II. The crowd in Eureka, formed of folks from every background and identity, joined events across all 50 states.
In typical Humboldt fashion, many of the protesters presented their politics through humor and quirk. Multiple people drifted along in the inflatable costumes popularized by Portland, Oregon, protesters, dressed as dinosaurs or fairies, or, more grimly, adorned in the red cloaks of the Handmaid’s Tale. Others brought unflattering satirical effigies of the president, such as shiny balloon caricatures of him as a baby in diapers. The mood was generally supportive and hopeful. One participant remarked, “There’s so much love; people are really talking about how they feel.”
Not everyone was so lighthearted. In many corners, the crowd buzzed with conversation expressing immense dissatisfaction, anger and pain over the present (and past) state of the U.S. government. “If you don’t speak openly about an issue that doesn’t agree with the dominant government line, your rights are going to shrink,” said Sam Neuwirth, a volunteer with Redwood Peace and Justice Coalition, whose organization was in attendance to raise awareness of their efforts to create a sister city in Palestine and promote youth arts in Gaza. Neuwirth said, “If you’re living in a community where it’s not a popular subject, it’s even more important to speak against the dominant narrative.”
An anonymous volunteer with Food Not Bombs, which was there to raise funds to share food and resources with people in the community, said demonstrations like No Kings don’t create the kind of radical change needed for massive government reform. They reasoned that it affords convenience to the most empowered by not disrupting major markets, not presenting danger to the structural integrity of the government itself, and not, importantly, making demands. However, this volunteer was clear that the central outcome of this demonstration would be the formation of communal networks.
Centro Del Pueblo exemplified this kind of connection building by fundraising on site for a community rapid response aid network — a project for which it has already raised more than $10,000. The network is meant to “support the most vulnerable in the community,” says volunteer Elizabeth Conner. Centro offers aid in a variety of areas, but most recently in helping people develop plans for if ICE shows up in Humboldt — a real possibility. Elle Penner, public information officer for Hum Dem, says, “There are people in our community who are directly affected” by the politics No Kings seeks to stand against, which is why community networks are so important. “This is a way to help [the people of Humboldt] not feel so alone.”
One of the most moving parts of the demonstration was the music performed by Humboldt Musicians for Peace. On the steps of the courthouse, they sang classic protest songs like “Hold On” and “Down by the Riverside” — songs sung during the American Civil Rights Movement with deep roots stretching back before the Civil War. The folks of Humboldt County sang their hearts out while others blew loud chords on brass instruments and banged on drums. People smiled at each other, shouted about the government, connected with organizations, and danced. There was a feeling of unity in each song, with everyone welcome to join, to be a part of a collective vision of joy.
Sasha Senal (she/they) is a writer, environmental educator and aspiring farmer. She can be found exploring Humboldt forests (not unlike her home redwoods on the Sonoma Coast) and considering Black eco-feminism.
This article appears in No Kings II.
