We don’t do kings here: Photos from Philadelphia’s ‘No Kings’ protest

The spirit of Philadelphia is the spirit of America Rep Jamie Raskin D-Md speaking at No Kings Philadelphia In a city steeped in revolutionary past the symbolism of Flag Day June th was central to the message of No Kings a national celebration of American ideals reframed as a demand to defend them LOVE Park to the Parkway A march with a message On a Saturday afternoon as military hardware assembled in Washington D C for the U S Army s th anniversary as numerous as protesters gathered at LOVE Park for Philadelphia s No Kings demonstration Philadelphia served as a flagship location among several hundred coordinated sites across the country serving as a nationwide day of action strategically timed with Flag Day and Donald Trump s th birthday Marchers on the move Hanbit Kwon With the entire length of Ben Franklin Parkway from th Street to Eakins Oval closed to traffic demonstrators marched up the Benjamin Franklin Parkway toward the actions of the Philadelphia Museum of Art Protesters passed by familiar city landmarks and monuments holding signs that referenced authoritarianism executive overreach and the President s million military parade which No Kings organizers described as a complete waste of inhabitants funds while populace services like food aid and Medicaid face cuts Framing these cuts as a bipartisan and more importantly a humanitarian issue No Kings speaker Bishop William J Barber co-chair of the Poor People s Campaign invoked the importance of protecting our healthcare system and social safety nets These are not liberal or conservative values but moral ones Grassroots over grandstanding The No Kings initiative emerged from a coalition of several advocacy groups including Indivisible MoveOn and the Movement No Kings was founded to coordinate actions in states Organizers stated that the protest was intended to sharply contrast with the presidential power display on a nationally symbolic day Protesters aimed to reclaim the symbolism of Flag Day with a message of grassroots democracy in the city where the first American flag was sewn Although no protests were planned in D C under the No Kings banner this deliberate absence and the resulting visual contrast were part of the organizer s goal building decentralized peaceful protest events across the country in places like Philadelphia to create a contrasting narrative without direct confrontation Flags and friendship were prominent at the No Kings rally Hanbit Kwon Commit yourself to nonviolence not only as a strategy but as a way of life Martin Luther King III implored the crowd at the Philadelphia No Kings rally Nonviolence is a cornerstone of the No Kings movement with organizers making clear that all demonstrations were to remain peaceful and lawful The campaign calls for de-escalation in the face of conflict emphasizing collective action as a show of constituents resistance not as a platform for confrontation Nonviolence is the sword that heals It is the weapon of the strong King encouraged the crowd As of Saturday night the police revealed no arrests related to the protest More than a day The long thread of protest in Philadelphia The march came together at the measures of the Art Museum a familiar rallying point in local activism In the City of Neighborhoods where streets are named after revolutionaries protest here is part of its long history of civic life Organizers emphasized that the protest was about more than a single day In Philly and beyond the No Kings campaign boasts a broader appeal for civic participation democratic accountability and sustained local engagement Philadelphia is a tough and loving city Representative Jamie Raskin reminded the crowd and you know how to topple kings here What have we got The question on the ground An old city with sharp memories where democracy was drafted and redrafted protest remains as local as pretzels and parades but is never taken for granted Protests remain powerful and more importantly viable Even in the rain thousands of people proved up to march together The unique and unprecedented pursuit of advancing self-government the American Experiment first imagined in Philadelphia was a radical departure from monarchy A marcher with a message Hanbit Kwon After the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia Elizabeth Willing Powel supposedly queried Benjamin Franklin Specialist what have we got a republic or a monarchy Franklin reportedly replied A republic if you can keep it Can democracy based on the ideals founded years ago remain resilient and relevant in a country increasingly marked by deepening divisions and indifference This may be a defining question of the American experience the present day Take a tour of on-the-ground scenes from Philadelphia s June th No Kings protest Marching down the Parkway Hanbit Kwon Arriving at the Philadelphia Museum of Art where speakers commenced Hanbit Kwon Protestors unveiled elation in gathering Hanbit Kwon A protester holds up his sign amidst a sea of flags Hanbit Kwon A group of friends from West Philly attended the march together Hanbit Kwon A protester upholds the basic message of No Kings Hanbit Kwon Countless families and friends marched together Hanbit Kwon Uncle Sam himself established up to march in solidarity Hanbit Kwon Countless protestors marched in direct defiance to Trump s personal displays of power Hanbit Kwon Protesters of all ages attended No Kings Hanbit Kwon Immigrants belong here Hanbit Kwon Lady Liberty invoked the idea of freedom Hanbit Kwon The occasion was somber at times and joyous at others Hanbit Kwon Various protesters carried signs protesting Medicaid cuts Hanbit Kwon A joyful spirit erupted at the Philadelphia Museum of Art as the crowd engaged with No Kings speakers Hanbit Kwon The procession was spirited and often included warbling and chanting Hanbit Kwon Families gathered to protest together Hanbit Kwon A golden bull glared into the crowd at the Philadelphia Museum of Art Hanbit Kwon The post We don t do kings here Photos from Philadelphia s No Kings protest appeared first on Billy Penn at WHYY