Protesters carry signs and chant for the No Kings protest outside the University of St. Catherine. Over 2,500 No Kings Day protests were held across the nation (Abigail Peters/The Crest). 
The crowd near the University of St. Catherine’s wave to passing cars (Abigail Peters/The Crest). 
Protesters at Lexington Parkway and West Seventh Street filled all four corners of the intersection (Abigail Peters/The Crest). 
Bells, drums, and other instruments were used to make noise during the protest (Abigail Peters/The Crest). 
The protest stretched several blocks on sidewalks alongside the road (Abigail Peters/The Crest).
Hundreds of people gathered at two locations in the Highland Park neighborhood of St. Paul Saturday to protest what they see as authoritarian actions by President Donald Trump’s administration.
The protests were organized by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet at St. Catherine University and residents of the Lexington Landing senior living center at Lexington Parkway and West Seventh Street. They were part of a larger movement of over 2,600 No Kings protests across the country.
“I hope more people are willing to speak up. I hope this empowers our senators and congresspeople to do more,” St. Catherine alum Sarah McColley said.
One notable attendee of the St. Catherine protest was Rep. Betty McCollum (D), a fellow St. Catherine alum who represents St. Paul and some of its suburbs in Congress. McCollum declined an interview.
Protestors cited multiple grievances against the Trump administration as reasons for turning out, including the movement of federal law enforcement such as Immigration and Customs Enforcement to various cities nationwide.
“We see what ICE is doing to families, and we don’t want that to happen in Minnesota,” McColley said. “I mean, (Gov. Tim) Walz is talking about preparing for the National Guard to come here. That’s terrifying, and we should be out in the streets.”
Another common concern of protestors was health care, with Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” planning to cut $1 trillion from healthcare and food assistance spending over a decade.
“I’m a retired physician, and so to see that — all our supports dismantled — is disheartening,” event attendee Karen Steiner said.
Protesters formed crowds along busy street corners and held signs encouraging drivers to honk their horns in support, as well as chanting slogans such as “No tyrants, no kings.”
Some protesters used the opportunity to dress up in costumes. One of those costumed protesters was Michael Gibba, who sported a pair of monarch butterfly wings on his back in reference to the No Kings movement.
“These things are turning out to be like Halloween every time, and I love that,” Gibba said.
Gibba, a military veteran, said he’d been troubled by Trump’s presence in American politics since 2016, when he hung an inverted American flag outside his house as a “sign of distress.” He said the protests felt re-energizing, even if they were a small step.
“All I have is my body here. I don’t really have a whole lot of money. I can’t contribute like that,” Gibba said. “So I’m here, and I’m also here to recharge my batteries with all the energy that’s here.”
Jack Bogrand, who served in the Vietnam War for three years, described the tension between protestors like himself and President Trump.
“(Trump) says that we hate our country. I don’t … I love my country, I love my flag. None of us here are going to sit down. I’m 82 years old, so I can’t do much else, but I can be here with all these other wonderful people,” Bogrand said through tears.
Many gathered, like Dustin Grayson, believed that while protesting may not directly bring about change, it is a way to create a sense of unity among those who share similar grievances.
“The hate that has taken over our country, the absolute division that is trying to be forced upon us by those that claim power — it’s not how we are supposed to be as a country … The more people that come out and see that there’s people out here with a similar mindset, the more things will change,” Grayson said.
Miles Schiffer can be reached at schi9629@stthomas.edu
Angeline Patrick-Pacheco can be reached at patr3972@stthomas.edu
Grace Woelfel can be reached at woel8456@stthomas.edu
