Organizers expect several thousand people to participate Saturday in a No Kings Day protest at the Capitol, joining more than 2,500 such demonstrations expected across the U.S.
Keizer will also have its own “No Kings” protest for the first time from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the intersection of North River and Chemawa Roads in the heart of the city, according to Carolyn Homan of Keizer Forward, a local group organizing the protest.
The protests in Salem and Keizer come during a federal government shutdown, increasing immigration raids, and the possible deployment of National Guard troops to major U.S. cities, including Portland.
Local Republican leaders said while they may not agree with the message from the No Kings protesters, they believe people have the right to protest in the United States. That stands in contrast to national Republican leaders who have termed the gatherings “Hate America” protests.
The No Kings protest in Salem last June drew an estimated 5,000 people out front of the Capitol along Northeast Center Street. Saturday’s protest, beginning at noon and going until 3 p.m. at the same location, could approach 10,000 people, organizers with the Salem Region Indivisible group told Salem Reporter.
Karoline Leavitt, White House spokeswoman, said on Fox News that the Democratic party “is made up of Hamas terrorists, illegal aliens and violent criminals.”
Last week, House Speaker Mike Johnson described the thousands of scheduled No Kings protests as the “hate America rally,” and that the protests would draw “the pro-Hamas wing” and “the antifa people,” according to Politico.
Thom Gapen of Salem Indivisible said the rhetoric coming from Johnson was ridiculous and that protests in the past have been overwhelmingly peaceful. He said his group is seeing increased interest in participating.
“I think the possible deployment of National Guard troops to Portland had a lot to do with it. And we are seeing the insane, ridiculous, unhinged rhetoric that’s coming from the White House and from the entire Republican Party, including the speaker of the House,” Gapen said. “It is dangerous. And disgusting. That the Speaker of the House, this is the person that is third in line to the president, would say this stuff, calling us domestic terrorists.”
Mike Slagle, chair of Marion County Republicans, said people have the right to protest in America, and that while he agrees with some of what the speaker said, he believes Johnson’s rhetoric about the protests was “a little extreme.”
“They are coming out and saying our president is acting like a king. I don’t believe that. I don’t believe he is acting like a king or a dictator or any of those fascist things they tend to call him,” Slagle said. “I think he is doing what he got elected to do. People elected him to protect our sovereignty, to make our streets safe, to end wars, all the things he said he was going to do, he is doing it, and I think it is upsetting the other side.”
Slagle said the possible deployment of troops to Portland, one of the major flashpoints prompting people to protest Saturday, is necessary to prevent violence.
“It’s just a matter of keeping peace. In my eyes, that’s what it’s about. Is it necessary? I think so. In many ways. I think that having that presence there will stop people from doing stupid things,” Slagle said. “Almost every generation of presidents has done something like this.”
Satya Chandragiri, a Salem-Keizer School Board director and local Republican leader, didn’t address Johnson’s claims about the coming protest being a “hate America rally,” but spoke to what he’s seen at previous No Kings protests in Salem.
“I’m not sure if anybody is hating America,” Chandragiri said.
Chandragiri focused on the protest’s name and framing, and said the U.S. is not like foreign governments that are run by unelected rulers.
“To me, the fact that you’re allowed to protest, you’re allowed free speech, you’re allowed to talk. These are not the signs of any kingdom,” he said.
Chandragiri helps run a local group called Braver Angels that brings together people of different political beliefs to bridge gaps in the community. He is the conservative co-chair and works with Tim Buckley, the liberal co-chair, to lead conversations on divisive political issues.
Salem police officers will be on scene Saturday to monitor the protest. Salem Police Department spokesperson Sgt. Jon Hardy declined to share how many officers are planned to be on scene.
The protest is not planned to close any local roads as of Friday, but traffic and safety updates will be provided by Salem police on social media platforms X and Nextdoor, according to Hardy.
Madeleine Moore of Salem Reporter contributed to this report.
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