The ‘No Kings Day’ protest saw estimated national attendance in the millions, with Fort Myers seeing a large local turnout with attendance numbers in the thousands. The protest took place at the corner of Daniels Parkway and U.S. Highway 41 in Fort Myers. The June 14 demonstration was a protest against President Donald Trump and the military parade celebrating the 250th birthday of the U.S. Army, which was also on Trump’s birthday.
FGCU fraternities and sororities, including Lambda Upsilon Lambda, Sigma Iota Alpha, and Sigma Lambda Beta, made Instagram posts promoting FGCU students to make their voices heard at ‘No Kings Day.’ Previous FGCU adjunct professor and political activist, Dr. Cindy Banyai, also made an Instagram story post promoting the event.
(Casey Shepherd)
“Donald Trump is again ignoring the checks and balances we have,” an FGCU student at the protest said. “He is overstepping this authority as the executive branch head.”
“It needs to be manically fought against,” another FGCU student said.
One of the policies many protestors had with the Trump administration was their immigration policy. Trump has set a quota for ICE agents to make 3,000 deportations daily nationwide. ICE has been active in Lee County, conducting deportation operations.
“Yesterday I went to a gas station where four mechanics were picked up by ICE agents and taken away, presumably to be deported,” another FGCU student at the protest said.
A small number of counterdemonstrators were in attendance.
“I don’t have a problem with anyone protesting in the state of Florida, so I have no problem with any peaceful protests,” James Paskalides, a counter-protestor said. “I voted for the mass deportation of the invasion that Joe Biden allowed, now [Trump] is saying he’s not even going to deport all illegals. That’s not what I voted for.”
The protest drew crowds of both young and old.
“My first protest was an anti-Vietnam [war] protest in about 1968 or 69,” said a protestor. “I am thrilled and shocked that in an area as conservative as Fort Myers, Florida, there has been so much support that people are coming out in the heat, in the off-season, and being here because they think that it’s important.”
In addition to the Fort Myers location, there was also a demonstration in Naples outside the Collier County Courthouse.
More information on future ‘No Kings’ protests can be found on their website www.nokings.org.
