- Thousands attended "No Kings" protests in Salt Lake City and throughout Utah Saturday opposing President Donald Trump.
- Protesters expressed concerns about democracy's future and criticized Trump's policies.
- Protesters condemned ICE raids and said the agency was violating due process rights.
SALT LAKE CITY — "Welcome to the resistance!" John Arthur shouted from the steps of the state Capitol Saturday.
The elementary school teacher and labor leader was quickly drowned out by cheers from thousands in attendance at a "No Kings" rally in Salt Lake City, there to express their anger at President Donald Trump who many accused of being an aspiring authoritarian.
Despite the grim turn that many protesters said the nation has taken — several women were dressed in red robes from "The Handmaid's Tale" and many signs warned of the end of American democracy — the gathering felt at times more like a block party than a political demonstration. Dozens of protesters dressed in inflatable costumes of aliens, dinosaurs and farm animals, and attendees danced and sang along to Taylor Swift and Creedence Clearwater Revival on an unusually warm October day.
Some protesters wore the crimson of the University of Utah while others were clad in the royal blue of Brigham Young University. As hundreds of tailgaters reveled outside of Provo's LaVell Edwards Stadium some 40 miles south ahead of the ranked gridiron clash between BYU and Utah, the No Kings demonstration may have been the only place in the Beehive State where Utes and Cougars were cheering in unison.
A woman dressed as an "Antifa Barbie" — a reference to the boogeyman of far-left militant groups often invoked by Trump and his supporters — took selfies with demonstrators. Several attendees lifted their young children over their heads to show the next generation "what democracy looks like."
"It's good to feel not alone in today's political climate," a Millcreek woman dressed as Rosie the Riveter told KSL.com. "There's a lot of anger, and I think today people were joyful and wacky and celebratory. It gave an inclusive, encouraging vibe and I think that was really necessary. People have been getting very depressed with the news."
She wasn't the only one who joined in part to feel a sense of solidarity with other Utahns who are scared about the direction of the country under Trump. Carol and Joanne, a pair of friends from Salt Lake City who declined to give their full names, said being Democrats in deep-red Utah can be a lonely proposition.
"This crowd makes you feel very patriotic," Carol said. "When we're here, we see we're not the only ones."
Joanne said she fears the democratic backsliding is "just begging, so I'm glad that we are standing together."
"This is bigger than a political disagreement," said Jamie Carter, political and partnerships director with DemCast, one of the organizers. "We are here to say enough is enough. ... We have no kings in America. We are the majority. We are the patriots."
The No Kings demonstrations were part of nationwide protests against the Trump administration, with more than 2,600 events planned from coast to coast. Organizers planned 12 rallies in Utah, both on and off the Wasatch Front in places like Moab, Heber City, Cedar City, Fillmore, Ephraim, Price, Logan, St. George and Kanab.
Utah Highway Patrol troopers say a peak of about 3,500 attendees filled the lawn at the Capitol in Salt Lake City, though the total number of attendees was likely higher as people were coming and going in a constant stream. Several hundred demonstrators gathered outside the Ogden Municipal Building and about 2,000 filled the streets around Provo's City Hall.
Saturday's rally in Salt Lake City was led by Salt Lake Indivisible, Green Wave, Our Revolution and national Demcast. The organizers said there was no collaboration between their safety protocols and 50501, the group that led the No Kings protest in June, where innocent bystander Arthur Folasa "Afa" Ah Loo, 39, was fatally wounded by a security "peacemaker" at the event.
A planned march in Salt Lake City was canceled. Organizers said this was "in the interest of public safety and to ensure the event remains peaceful, focused and impactful — consistent with the core values of the No Kings movement."
Salt Lake City's demonstration was safe — troopers reported no incidents or arrests — and it was largely free of confrontation, aside from several pro-Trump counter-protesters who yelled insults on the periphery of the demonstration. Several armed men wearing balaclavas and sunglasses accused protesters of killing conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
One Trump supporter yelled through a bullhorn that a protester "supports communism," using a slur for people with intellectual disabilities. The man responded, calling him a fascist and the pair shouted profanity at one another for several minutes before the confrontation fizzled.
A handful of protesters urged their counterparts to not engage, and several set up a boombox nearby to drown out the noise of the bullhorn.
Not everyone in attendance was against Trump. James Plata, a veteran and native New Yorker who know lives downtown, said he was on his way to pick up his dog but stopped by when he saw the crowds. Plata described himself as an independent, but said he's pleased with some things Trump has done, particularly the recent ceasefire reached in Gaza.
"I'm glad it's peaceful, for sure," he said. "I'm glad the folks here are having a polite discussion, I think. And everybody is entitled to protest however they may feel."
Protesters had a laundry list of complaints for the administration. Signs condemned Trump's ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, cuts to medical research and foreign aid, and Trump's stance on transgender rights.
But the most controversial issue by far was immigration. Demonstrators decried what they called "militarized" tactics by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers and said legal residents and citizens alike are being caught up in raids that ignore due process rights.
Asked what she finds most concerning, Salt Lake resident Abby Feenstra said she's worried about the "autocratic leanings in general" and "power grabs" of the administration.
"I think that that's manifested a lot of ways," she said. "ICE being out on the streets and breaking down people's doors and not following due process at all. I feel like as soon as that crumbles for one group of people, the foundation of our society and due process and protection starts crumbling for everyone. It will only be a matter of time before they come for the rest of us."
