NO KINGS Peaceful Protest
The following was first published on at Floyd Times on October 21, 2025.
Approximately 300 citizens gathered around the Floyd Courthouse on Saturday for the NO KINGS DAY 2.0 rally to protest the executive overreach of our country’s current administration and to stand up for democracy.
American flags were flying and participants held homemade signs that gave voice to their concerns and frustrations: No Kings No ICE, Dignity for All, Release the Epstein Files, Our Grandparents Fought Fascism Will You?
Pastor Wanda Childs of the Floyd-Willis Lutheran Parish marked the beginning of the peaceful protest with a benediction. One participant dressed as the Statue of Liberty.
Two Vietnam veterans held a large American flag. Another veteran held a sign that read “I’m a Veteran and I support the Constitution.”
Karen Baker, a former candidate for Congress and current Chair of the Floyd County Democratic Committee, introduced speaker Freeda Cathcart, the founder of Indivisible Roanoke, through a megaphone, saying, “Listen up patriots!
Speaking of Cathcart, Baker said, “She’s an elected official representing Roanoke County on the Blue Ridge Soil and Water Conservation Board. Her ancestors fought in the American Revolution to protect people’s rights against the tyranny of King George. Her grandmother was a suffragette. She has taken up her ancestors’ patriotic torch to peacefully defend our constitutional rights.”
Cathcart addressed the crowd, “I heard a rumor. Ya’ll might have heard it too. There’s supposed to be some hate America rallies out there happening today. I haven’t seen anything like that.”
She added, “We’re here together because we love our country,” before leading the crowd in a U.S.A. chant.
Baker, wearing an American Revolution hat, made her way through the crowd with her megaphone, asking protesters, ‘how do you resist?’ “With kindness, every way I can, by raising anti-fascist children and hell yes” were some of the responses. Several people answered by saying, “I vote.”
It was an upbeat 2-hour demonstration with live music and singing. Many drivers of vehicles passing by showed their support by cheering, beeping their horns and waving.
In the following days, news outlets reported that an estimated 7 million people participated in 2,700 No Kings protests across the country and in all 50 states. Watch HERE. _____Colleen Redman
