What to expect at Saturday’s ‘No Kings’ rally in Boston
There are more than 100 “No Kings” rallies planned across Massachusetts on Saturday, with the largest expected to be on the Boston Common around noontime.Boston police are tightening their security plan, anticipating thousands of attendants. “We are expecting quite a large crowd,” said Rebecca Winter, one of the rally’s organizers. She also says they are determined to ensure the event remains non-violent.Tens of thousands of people are expected to fill the common to protest federal overreach, rejecting what organizers describe as President Trump’s authoritarian agenda.”This country was founded by the power of the people, and we the people need to come together and say what is happening in our democracy is not OK,” said Winter. “I think we’re seeing that everybody is being affected by the issues at the top. If it’s not immigration, it is funding that’s being cut, it’s our freedom of speech that’s being violated, it’s constant lies being fed to us.”There will be tables set up by local organizations as well as performances and speakers. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, who has often sparred with the administration over public safety and immigration issues, is a keynote speaker. Organizers say they’ve had between 25,000 to 50,000 RSVPs to the event, but many more are expected. Security expert Ed Cash, of Frontier Security, says there will be a large law enforcement presence.”This is an all-hazard event, so you will see different mechanisms in place for any vehicles that will come here, there will be drones in the air, there is a lot of uniformed police, a lot of undercover police,” he said.”I am confident that we will have appropriate security measures out there to ensure that this is a peaceful event,” said Col. Geoffrey Noble of Massachusetts State Police. Organizers say they will also have private security trained in de-escalation tactics.”We know from research that a strong, non-violent civil resistance like this can be effective in overturning authoritarianism,” Winter said.
There are more than 100 “No Kings” rallies planned across Massachusetts on Saturday, with the largest expected to be on the Boston Common around noontime.
Boston police are tightening their security plan, anticipating thousands of attendants.
“We are expecting quite a large crowd,” said Rebecca Winter, one of the rally’s organizers. She also says they are determined to ensure the event remains non-violent.
Tens of thousands of people are expected to fill the common to protest federal overreach, rejecting what organizers describe as President Trump’s authoritarian agenda.
“This country was founded by the power of the people, and we the people need to come together and say what is happening in our democracy is not OK,” said Winter. “I think we’re seeing that everybody is being affected by the issues at the top. If it’s not immigration, it is funding that’s being cut, it’s our freedom of speech that’s being violated, it’s constant lies being fed to us.”
There will be tables set up by local organizations as well as performances and speakers. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, who has often sparred with the administration over public safety and immigration issues, is a keynote speaker.
Organizers say they’ve had between 25,000 to 50,000 RSVPs to the event, but many more are expected.
Security expert Ed Cash, of Frontier Security, says there will be a large law enforcement presence.
“This is an all-hazard event, so you will see different mechanisms in place for any vehicles that will come here, there will be drones in the air, there is a lot of uniformed police, a lot of undercover police,” he said.
“I am confident that we will have appropriate security measures out there to ensure that this is a peaceful event,” said Col. Geoffrey Noble of Massachusetts State Police.
Organizers say they will also have private security trained in de-escalation tactics.
“We know from research that a strong, non-violent civil resistance like this can be effective in overturning authoritarianism,” Winter said.
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