Kevin Harretos

UP IN ARMS Exercising his First Amendment rights, senior Phillip Lewers crosses Ridge Road alongside fellow protesters. “That’s what the American Constitution is set up to practice against: the kings that take and get as much as they can,” Lewers said.

Protesters gathered in Highland around the intersection of US 41 and Ridge Road on Oct. 18. Participants took part in the “No Kings” protest to express their opinions on President Trump’s newly-implemented policies.

The basis of the worldwide protest centers around the idea that there should be no kings nor a monarchy present in today’s government. Hundreds of protesters, including Munster students, attended this movement.

Senior Phineas Spicer attended the event, carrying a sign saying, “Don’t crown the clown.” Spicer shared his perspective on the current state of the U.S. government.

“There is no one dictator for life,” Spicer said. “America is a democracy. It’s a republic. It’s by the people, for the people. We are all immigrants because almost everybody in America has immigrated here in the past 200-300 years.”

Activists began their own chants and one participant, 61 year-old Victor Vazquez, a Hammond resident, recited the preamble to the Constitution. This “No Kings” protest was the first for Vazquez.

“No kings means that we abide by the rule of law, by the Constitution, not to an individual, not to their rhetoric, not to their propaganda,” Vazquez said. “To the system, the rule of law, our democracy, our republic.

Protesters created signs to express their opinions and specific policies they are protesting such as, “We are all immigrants,” and “No thrones. No crowns. No kings.”

“The higher government needs to listen to what the people say,” senior Wesley Harle said. “And right now, the people are saying that they do not agree with Donald Trump.”

Participants expressed their opinions not only through signs they made, but by chanting and expressing their beliefs on President Trump.

“This protest is showing the Trump regime that we disagree with him, that we dissent,” 66 year-old Theresa Dignam, a Hobart resident, said. “We are Americans. We have fought since the Revolutionary War, for our freedom. So one person isn’t going to come in and think he can rule over everyone.”

Along with advocating for “No Kings,” many protesters expressed their views about ICE agents, the LGBTQ+ community and the defunding of schools.

“I’m extremely concerned with the enabling of ICE that is completely illegal,” 55 year-old Jenny Weber, a Munster resident, said. “Oh gosh, the Big Beautiful Bill. I mean, I could go on and on and on. Attacks against women, children, those with disabilities, Americans across the board.

This is the second local “No Kings” protest since President Trump’s inauguration in January. The first protest was held earlier this summer on June 14.

“We’re showing young people today that we can move the needle and we can swing the pendulum back,” Weber said. “We can make a difference if we collectively work together to do so.”