Community rallies for the ‘No Kings’ protest 2.0 in downtown Columbus

COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) — Many people rallied across America on Saturday for the ‘No Kings’ Protest, and a local organization brought the rally to Columbus.

Organizers and volunteers from Columbus and Phenix City Indivisible gathered community members near the River Center Fountain for a peaceful protest, which they said aims to defend democracy.

The ‘No Kings’ protest 2.0 is another event planned by the organizations in connection with the first ‘No Kings’ rally that took place in June.

Indivisible leaders intend to help bring an end to the authoritarian attacks on certain freedoms.

According to a Leadership Board Member from Columbus, Ga. Indivisible Laura Irvin, ‘No Kings’ is not about one person, it’s about understanding that it’s time to hold elected officials accountable and that no one owes anyone their undying loyalty.

“If you’re one of the 300,000 Georgians that are going to lose their Medicaid because of the ‘Big Beautiful Bill,’ this rally is for you,” Irvin said. “And if you’re one of the Georgians whose industry is being hurt by ICE raids or tariffs, this rally is for you.”

Although Irvin said the event wasn’t just about one person, many participants had signs and things to say about President Donald Trump. A chant leader and volunteer with Indivisible explained her purpose for protesting.

“We need to stand up to a man in Washington who thinks he is a king and has no regard for the U.S. Constitution,” said Ilene Kent. “As you can see from my sign here, this is all about defending the Constitution. We love America. We want to see it thrive.”

Despite the hundreds of people in attendance to support the rally, some individuals had other views. One Columbus resident stumbled across the rally and shared a different perspective.

“I understand that people say, ‘No Kings,’ but I don’t believe that President Trump is a king,” said Columbus resident Eric Davis. “He doesn’t look at himself as a king. He came to this country and got reelected. He has no agenda outside of fixing America.”

The event remained peaceful; however, everyone there made sure to have their voices heard. De-escalators from the organization made sure to keep the peace.

Participants were also joined by local officials to push the message and embody the democracy in the Columbus that the community wants to see in the future.