A shark and an axolotl walk into a protest

Hi,

As I walked from my apartment to the Capitol yesterday morning, I didn't know what to expect. Were folks going to show? Were people still angry and energized enough to get off their asses? The news is infuriating but it's exhausting too. Shit wears you down. There was a pretty big turnout for the first No Kings protest back in June. But that already feels like it was six hundred years ago and also only a few dozen people showed up to the local rally against the McCook ICE facility last month.

Maybe peak resistance energy has already come and gone, I couldn't help thinking.

Turns out I was wrong!

By the time I arrived — a little after 10 am — both sides of K Street were clogged with protesters. Getting to the Capitol steps was a slow meandering crawl. I got whipped in the face by some guy's American flag because I couldn't get out of his way fast enough.

I don't know how many people were there. More than last time maybe, but a volunteer I talked to later didn't have an official count yet. Most local reporting I've seen said "more than 1000." That feels right. It might even be underselling things. "More than 1000" is the kind of estimate reporters use that's just accurate enough to not technically be wrong.

There was certainly enough of a crowd for things to be loud. A few musicians performed from the steps of the Capitol and a few more people spoke — a state senator, a member of DSA, and others — but unless you were standing close, you couldn't hear much of what they were saying over the cheers and chants and blaring horns of passing cars.

Here's a bit of what it sounded like:

But enough about numbers. Let's talk costumes.

There were a few frogs of course. But I also saw: A panda; a cow; a pig; a cat; a bumblebee; a monarch butterfly; an eagle; a shark; an axolotl; an anglerfish; a rainbow parrot; a pink octopus; at least four chickens; at least three unicorns; at least two aliens; a triceratops; three or four T. rexes; a dragon; a banana; a pineapple; bacon and eggs; a corn cob; Trump dressed as a king with a red clown nose; Trump in an orange prison jumpsuit; Pikachu; the Kool-Aid Man; a teapot; an ICE machine; the Statue of Liberty; Jesus; a witch; a handmaid; the Cookie Monster; Luigi; the Grinch; the Lorax; an Among Us character; Bender from Futurama; Katsuki Bakugo; and multiple Straw Hat pirates.

And I can't even claim my list is comprehensive! That's just what I saw and managed to scribble down.

I know not everyone will agree with me here but I personally love this kind of thing. Every inflatable costume and every hand-drawn, cardboard protest sign is a small goofy work of art, a reminder that things don't have to be grim and dull — a statement to everyone that being engaged doesn't have to be a fucking chore. I wrote this back in June during the first go-round and I still stand by it:

Honestly, I was struck mostly by the fact that people were having fun. Sure, some signs were a little cringe but most were creative and funny, and folks seemed excited to be there. I don't mean to be blasé about the purpose of the protests: The Trump administration's vicious crackdown on immigrants and its political opponents is terrifying; I spend a good part of every day feeling anxious about where things are headed.

But that doesn't mean the opposition to Trump has to be dour and humorless. I think it's good when people are able to enjoy getting out in the streets! If nothing else, it gives them a reason to come back. And ideally, these kind of protests will help folks meet others in their community, build stronger social connections, and (I hope) strengthen local movements and organizations that can offer a positive political alternative to Trumpism.

As with every protest, people showed up for all sorts of reasons. A Navy veteran named Marvin told me he didn't think Trump should be going after higher education or killing people out on the ocean without trial. He didn't come to the first No Kings protest but felt strongly enough to attend this one.

"Just think about what kind of person Trump is. Who wouldn't protest that guy?" Marvin said. "I didn't like him 30 or 40 years ago when he was in the news."

Other people came out to support immigrants, to defend trans rights, to protest Trump's cuts to science and research funding, to oppose the genocide in Gaza, to celebrate democracy, to hand out zines and stickers that read "Real Goths Hate Fascists," and to "make America think again," as one sign put it.

The organizers also set up a little wall near the Capitol steps and asked people to write down why they'd shown up. Most answers were loving and inspiring or both. ("My children & grandchildren" or "My queer community" or "All the women that came before me.")

A few answers were uhh well — a bit more pointed is maybe the kindest way to say it. ("Epstein.")

I was out for nearly three hours and must have walked the block next to the Capitol at least four times, just meeting and talking to folks. The crowd started thinning around noon, but when I left a little after 1 pm, there was still a sizable group gathered on the steps.

And as I walked past the governor's mansion, which sits just south of the Capitol, I saw protesters had left a few signs behind. I suspect they won't be there for long.

Thanks for reading.

~ Ty

P.S. Got an event you want to see featured in next week's event roundup? Submit it here. You can also send feedback, suggestions, compliments, criticism and ideas for things I should write about to tynanstewart@proton.me