Story and photos by Aidan Mortensen | KOAL News
It was a colorful scene outside of the Seventh District Courthouse in Price on Saturday, Oct. 18, as citizens from across the Castle Country gathered for a second round of ‘No Kings’ protests. With over 2,500 protests planned across the nation, the Castle Country was represented as a part of the larger, national movement.
Signs reading ‘No Kings’, ‘Deport ICE’, and ‘Liberty and Justice for All’ peppered the crowd of protesters, alongside several attendees in inflatable costumes. “It’s kind of a recall to what’s going on in Portland, where they’re just protesting, and they’re just silly animals and people are trying to spin that, as this great, terrible ravaging of the system,” said one attendee cloaked in a cow costume.
They continued, “Honestly, it’s silly fun. We should be allowed to have fun because it’s been hell. Today, honestly, has been therapeutic because we live in a town. It’s small here, and it feels like no one’s on our side, but here today, there are so many people with us.”
Nationwide, the movement has been labeled by GOP figureheads as ‘unpatriotic’, with House Speaker Mike Johnson characterizing the protest as a ‘hate America rally’. One protester responded to these criticisms,” America was built on these types of things; we could not have been here. If we did not protest against our British king, we would not be here, because we protest and keep protesting. This is our freedom, and we are keeping going. We are going to be strong and we are going to do this.”
The event drew support not only from the Carbon and Emery Democratic parties but also from the statewide organization, with state party chair Brian King in attendance.
“As the chair of the Utah Democratic Party, one thing that’s really important from our perspective is to get off the Wasatch front,” said King. “I think the thing that’s impressed me is that people are recognizing the value and the importance of the most basic structures for our country and our state, the Constitution, the rule of law and independent Judiciary, and free and fair elections.”
In a social media post following the protest, the Carbon County Democratic Party shared,” What a great day. Conservatives and liberals. Republicans, Democrats and Independents showed up in Price to help the nation say No Kings!”