A group of activists plan on holding a protest against the Trump administration in downtown Lexington this weekend.
It’s part of the nationwide ‘No Kings’ protests that organizers say are meant to combat authoritarianism from the federal government. They’re also being run as a counter to a military parade in Washington, D.C. the same day, which opponents say is a show of force by the administration.
Harry Neack is an organizer with Bluegrass Activist Alliance. He says the rally has been scheduled for a while, but the deployment of the National Guard in response to anti-ICE protests in Los Angeles has made it more urgent.
“We didn't anticipate it getting this bad, or at least this bad, this fast,” he said. “And so the events of this past week really came to a head and fit exactly what we're talking about, that this administration and the President will do anything to exert its power.”
He says they plan on showing support for immigrant communities.
“We are carrying the torch and the banner and the weight and the load for people who are being attacked, being marginalized, and hopefully we will eventually get through this so that they will not be afraid to come out again,” Neack said.
The protest will be outside Lexington’s Robert F. Stephens Courthouse Saturday afternoon. Organizations taking part also include the American Federation of Teachers and 50501 Kentucky.
