More than 1,000 say 'No Kings' for America during protests Saturday in North Ridgeville, Avon

NORTH RIDGEVILLE — North Ridgeville wants no king. It needs no king. Neither does Avon, nor Cleveland, nor Los Angeles, nor hundreds of other cities across the United States, according to protesters who turned out for a day of peaceful protest organizers called "No Kings." It's a reference to how opponents of President Donald Trump and his policies view his second administration: A dictatorship by a man who wants to be a king above the law, in a nation that hasn't had a king since it declared independence from Great Britain in 1776. The nationwide protests were planned to coincide with a military parade Trump ordered to take place in Washington, D.C., on a day shared by Flag Day, the U.S. Army's 250th birthday and Trump's own 79th birthday. In Avon and North Ridgeville, rain showers didn't appear to keep anyone away from either protest. No violence was reported, and leaders from both the county Democratic and Republican parties said Saturday they hoped things stayed peaceful. No Kings organizers declared the day of protest and the estimated 2,000 local events nationwide a success "in the face of the Trump administration and several Republican governors deploying the military to intimidate protestors," they wrote in a news release. Lorain Road in North Ridgeville For two hours up to 1,000 people of all ages lined more than 1/3 of a mile of sidewalk along Lorain Road, waving American flags and holding signs praising democracy, bashing the idea of royalty and of having America run by a king — like many of them said Trump acts like he has become. The line of protesters stretched from Lear Nagle and Cook roads in the west to the Interstate 480/state Route 10 interchange in the east. Passing cars honked continuously in support of the protesters, who cheered and waved back. Among the protesters was Matt Klein, holding a sign that read "Impeach. Convict. Remove." in reference to Trump, the only president ever to be impeached twice. A North Ridgeville resident for 20 years before moving to Westlake, Klein said he braved the rain because of the way the country has been run "since He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named came back ... we're on a dark path and I'm just letting my voice be heard." Klein said what worries him is "unmarked ICE officers in unmarked cars just showing up and kidnapping people off the street," referencing ongoing Immigrations and Customs Enforcement raids. That's something "out of a dystopian novel," he said. "It's just something you never thought you'd see in this country," Klein said. "We're arresting senators, we're arresting American citizens, it's not about 'the rapists' and 'all the thugs' he (Trump) keeps talking about. It's just people that worked here for 30 years. Maybe they don't have citizenship but they are a part of this community and we just need to support them, we need to protect them, they're people." "I think this is not what America is, what he (Trump) has turned this country into," Klein said. State Rep. Joe Miller, D-Amherst, joined Saturday's protest, moving up and down the line chatting with protesters about their concerns even in a pouring-down rain that greeted the first protesters at 10 a.m. He said he was "very proud" of the people who came out in the rainy weather to protect their rights. "Here's where the power really lies, not at the top," he said, gesturing to the long line of people stretched along Lorain Road. Miller said the system has been rigged against the people, with gerrymandered districts leaving Americans without the representation they need or deserve. And there remain a lot of independent voters in the state of Ohio who understand that their rights are important, he said. "This really isn't a Democrat or Republican issue, this is a constitutional issue, and we should be constitutionalists first before we're Democrats or Republicans," he said. Miller later took to social media, posting: "I have reverence for the American Flag, appreciation for the US Army but will not stand by as a president acts like a King," on X, formerly known as Twitter.North Ridgeville police cruisers drove slowly down Lorain Road on the lookout for trouble. Attendees said plainclothes police officers also were on hand in the crowd just in case. Very few counter-protesters showed up in North Ridgeville. A Chronicle-Telegram reporter watched one man lean out the passenger side of a white work van headed east on Lorain Road, scream at the protesters and give them the middle finger. The cheers and shouts of the crowd drowned out what the man said. "Pleased, enthused" and surprised by Saturday's turnout, Klein said it was only the second protest he's ever been to. "... and the first was during his (Trump's) first term," he said. Lorain County Democratic Party Chairwoman Sharon Sweda, who was at the North Ridgeville protest, called Saturday's turnout "phenomenal." Sweda said people were "peacefully protesting policies and positions that are in direct opposition and a threat to our democracy." Veteran, supporters of women's rights and nonprofits all came out Saturday "to show and indicate that his (Trump's) positions are not supported by the America that most people chose to live in. And we're going to continue to be vigilant." It was a good recruiting day for the Lorain County Democratic Party, too, Sweda said, as city-specific Democratic club representatives were getting questions and interest from potential new members. Center Road and Detroit Road To the north in neighboring Avon, hundreds more protesters lined all four corners of the intersection of Center Road and Detroit Road. Anita Harris of Avon and her niece, Arden Emrick of North Ridgeville, held down the northwest corner of the intersection until taking their signs and protests to Cleveland. "We just loved today. Rain or shine, we're gonna shine," Harris said as protesters cleared the sidewalks around noon. Emrick brought a hand-drawn sign showing Trump on a toilet surrounded by illustrations including tacos and other symbols of protest. "No Kings. No Clowns. No Crowns" it said. The tacos reference an acronym coined by Financial Times columnist Robb Armstrong that became popular among financial experts and Wall Street analysts. For them, TACO stands for "Trump Always Chickens Out" and his habit of announcing tariffs, then reversing course and causing the stock market to rebound. A "proud never-Trumper," Emrick said she would "fight for all the people in this country that are here, no matter who they are." "I just want everyone to be treated equally," she said. "Everyone should have the same rights as everyone else." Holding a sign saying "The Constitution trumps Trump," Harris said it's about the rule of law and about speaking truth. When the rule of law isn't followed, "it doesn't mean anything anymore," she said. As in North Ridgeville, Avon police cruisers drove up and down Center and Detroit roads keeping the peace, even as a handful of vocal counter-protesters traded verbal taunts or gestures with No Kings protesters.Baron Eberly wore a red "Make America Great Again" hat and waved a "Trump 2020" flag along Detroit Road before he and friend Kellen Moyer got back in their car about noon as the protest wound down. Waiting in traffic, Eberly told a reporter the protest was peaceful except for some name-calling "and some people throwing me shade." "I feel like the younger generation is a little more Republican-focused, that's why Trump won, but I feel like it's good out here 'cuz it's a peaceful protest, no one's really being mean to each other — except I did just get flipped off," he said. "It was good though. I just wanted to come out here and show some support for the other side." Lorain County Republican Party Chairman Bob Meilander said as a proud veteran of the U.S. Army, which celebrated its 250th with Saturday's parade in Washington, D.C., he was "honored to see our community coming together to support the upcoming military parade." The parade is "a celebration of freedom, sacrifice, and the unbreakable American Spirit. I served because I love this country and I'm proud of this service every day," Meilander said. As far as the protests went, he said he supports the right of every citizen to protest, "provided it is done peacefully and in a lawful manner." "Free speech is one of our cornerstones of our democracy, however, the 'No Kings' protest seems to go beyond policy this agreement and appears to be fueled more by political animosity and emotional reaction to President Trump than by constructive dialogue," Meilander said. "I just hope it can remain peaceful." Many attendees leaving the North Ridgeville and Avon protests said they planned to go to Cleveland and join in a larger protest there. No Kings protesters showed up "with peace, purpose, and joy" on Saturday, organizers said in a news release. "Today, across red states and blue, rural towns and major cities, Americans stood in peaceful unity and made it clear: We don't do kings. While Trump and MAGA-aligned governors wasted public dollars on riot gear and fear tactics, the people brought hope, humor, and harmony. A national act of joyful resistance," organizers said. Contact Dave O'Brien at (440) 329-7129 or dobrien@chroniclet.com