Kalispell Joins National ‘No Kings’ Protests
Hundreds gather in Depot Park in protest against the Trump administration, echoing thousands of other events across the country
By Mariah Thomas
As soldiers, tanks and helicopters took over the streets and skies in the nation’s capital Saturday for the country’s first military parade in more than 30 years, protesters took over Kalispell’s downtown, marching from the old courthouse and gathering at Depot Park.
Attendees described the event as mostly peaceful.
Two people were arrested, and a woman was hit in a crosswalk by a slow-moving car turning right onto U.S. Highway 93, which police officers on the scene described as a minor traffic incident. They referred the Flathead Beacon to Police Chief Jordan Venezio to answer questions. Venezio did not provide comment by 6 p.m. Saturday.
The U.S. Army’s presence in Washington, D.C. marked the Army’s 250th birthday celebration — and fell on President Donald Trump’s 79th birthday. Saturday was also Flag Day. The parade aimed to show Trump’s vision of American military strength, a move critics said politicizes the military.
Military parades typically commemorate victories in battle. Prior to Saturday, the last major military parade in the U.S. took place June 18, 1991. It marked the end of the Persian Gulf War and honored the forces of Operation Desert Storm. Before that, there hadn’t been a military parade since the end of World War II. Saturday’s military parade was estimated to cost between $25 and $45 million, to be paid out of the Department of Defense’s budget.
In opposition to the parade, protesters participated in a national movement known as “No Kings,” which aims to “reject authoritarianism,” according to its website. The protest follows on the heels of nationwide “Hands Off” demonstrations in early April, which protested several Trump administration policies.
Organizers hoped “people coming together in communities across the country to reject strongman politics and corruption” would become the story of the day Saturday, rather than the military parade. No event was hosted in the nation’s capital for that reason, though thousands of events were planned across the country.
The No Kings official website listed more than 20 events planned in Montana. Flathead Democracy and 50501MT organized Kalispell’s event. Leanette Galaz, an organizer with Flathead Democracy, said over 1,000 people had RSVP’d for Kalispell’s protest.
Kalispell’s event featured resource tables, speakers and performers.
Some cars honked or waved in support as others shouted out “Go Trump” and loudly revved their engines while driving by on U.S. Highway 93.
Attendees gave several reasons for coming: to practice their freedom of speech and to protest policies they felt were harmful. Those policies ranged from defunding public radio and television to Trump’s promised mass deportations.
Otto Hallgren, a 78-year-old retired stonemason and former Marine, said he disagreed with President Trump’s positions on most issues.
“I think Donald Trump is absolutely the wrong man at the wrong time,” Hallgren said. “I’m a veteran, I was a Marine. His whole position on the military offends me.”
Hallgren didn’t name a specific policy he took issue with, but said he worries Trump doesn’t want to listen to Congress or the judicial branch. The Associated Press is tracking hundreds of lawsuits challenging executive orders from Trump himself, or lawsuits challenging actions taken by his administration. In several of those cases, the Trump administration is seeking appeals.
“He wants to be a dictator, and I would like to think that we don’t do that here.”
Megan Ellis, Sam Cofer and Brittney Erickson attended the event together, and met up with an acquaintance, Heather Recker. The trio said they have a group chat where they do the Wordle daily and made plans to come to the event in that chat.
For Erickson, who works in healthcare, it was emotional to see how many people in the Flathead Valley came out to support the event. She said it feels like a “dark time,” but the No Kings protest gave her hope.
Recker, a biologist, didn’t view the event as partisan. Instead, she thinks the issues at hand are about basic human decency. Cofer, Ellis and Erickson agreed, with Cofer adding she grew up in the Flathead Valley and missed the Republicans of her youth.
“They would be the ones that would show up in the Valley for individual rights and less government control,” Cofer said. “And now, they just choose to look the other way, and the very rights are being stripped away that they used to defend.”
