Youth Fuel ‘No Kings’ Protests, Surprise GOP in Red States

Thousands Rally Against Trumpism in Unexpected Locations

Thousands of people gathered in over 3,300 locations across the United States on Saturday for ‘No Kings’ protests, a movement organizers say is drawing significant attention in traditionally conservative areas. The demonstrations, which included 600 new sites in rural and “red” communities, saw large turnouts in places like Juneau, Alaska; Minot, North Dakota; Overland Park, Kansas; and Waukesha, Wisconsin. Tennessee, a state known for its conservative politics, experienced thousands of participants at events statewide, including a rally in Chattanooga estimated to have drawn at least 4,000 people.

Protests Target Sensitive Historical Sites and Policy

Notably, rallies were held in Pulaski, Tennessee, the birthplace of the Ku Klux Klan, and in Lebanon, Tennessee. The latter city had previously been considered for an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center intended to hold at least 15,000 detainees, a plan that was later scrapped. These locations highlight the protests’ engagement with sensitive historical contexts and current policy debates.

Tennessee Sees Growing Unhappiness, Expert Says

Holly McCall, editor of The Tennessee Lookout, a non-profit news organization, noted the significant scale of the protests in her state. “To see the scale of these protests grow in under a year, I think is something that everyone should take note of,” McCall stated. She pointed to large turnouts in highly conservative areas like Lebanon, Pulaski, and West Tennessee, as well as a doubling of past attendance in Chattanooga. “I think it says that there’s an undercurrent of unhappiness in this country and in traditionally conservative parts of the country in the South,” she added.

“I think it says that there’s an undercurrent of unhappiness in this country and in traditionally conservative parts of the country in the South.”
Holly McCall, Editor, The Tennessee Lookout

Challenging Perceptions of Protest Demographics

McCall also addressed commentary, like that from Tomi Lahren, which suggested the protests were primarily attended by older, angry white individuals. While acknowledging the presence of older participants, McCall emphasized that this is not a negative indicator. “I did see a lot of older people, but I don’t think that’s a bad thing because I think many of us as we get older, I’m 61, tend to get a little… we tend to get a little acclimated to things,” she explained. She highlighted a 70-year-old woman attending her first protest and noted that many Baby Boomers who may have become complacent are now becoming active. Crucially, McCall also saw “a lot of younger people” present.

Local Opposition Scuttles ICE Detention Center Plans

The protests also played a role in opposing a planned ICE mega-detention center near Nashville. McCall detailed how The Tennessee Lookout broke the story, and by Monday morning, it had gained significant traction. Despite initial pushback from Republican lawmakers, ICE continued to confirm the plans. However, intense community opposition, including a packed county commission meeting with 400 attendees, led to Senator Marsha Blackburn eventually opposing the center. “It was amazing to see how that community turned out to protest that,” McCall said.

Political Implications for Incumbents

The opposition to the ICE center presented a political challenge for Senator Blackburn, who is running for governor and generally supports President Trump’s immigration policies. “She is very approving and enthusiastic about President Donald Trump’s immigration policies. And yet, when it gets cited in her backyard and she saw that there was pushback to it, you know, she also pulled back on it,” McCall observed. Protests in Blackburn’s hometown of Franklin, Tennessee, a highly conservative area, included many signs critical of her, underscoring the local discontent.

Younger Generation Engages with Trumpism’s Legacy

A key theme emerging from the protests is the involvement of young people who have grown up in the era of “Trumpism.” Molly Brooks, a 15-year-old who attended a rally in Chattanooga, expressed her passion for the political moment. McCall finds hope in this younger generation, stating, “Boy, to sound very old, the youth give me hope and I think they’re going to save us.” She described seeing teenagers, like Molly, who have never known a world without Trump-era politics but possess a strong moral compass. “They have enough of a moral compass to know that what they’re seeing is not right,” McCall said, citing issues like friends being afraid to go to school, friends being taken away by ICE, and parents’ worries about grocery and gas prices.

Concerns Over War and Future Mobilization

Beyond domestic issues, concerns about war and the potential for a military draft were also voiced by young protesters. McCall drew parallels to the Vietnam War era, suggesting this generation might engage in similar levels of protest, voting, and running for office. “I hear young men who are afraid that there’s going to be a draft. And so I think these people are the next maybe Vietnam-esque generation,” she noted.

Historical Echoes and Ongoing Reporting

The protests’ locations, such as Pulaski, and reporting from The Tennessee Lookout on issues like the allowance of Confederate memorabilia in a jury room, underscore the complex historical and social dynamics at play. McCall concluded by thanking The Tennessee Lookout team for their reporting, highlighting the ongoing need to cover these developing stories.

Source: ‘The youth are going to save us’: Inside the ‘No Kings’ protests taking Trump’s GOP by surprise (YouTube)