‘I want to feel like I’m doing something’: Pittsburghers show out for No Kings rally in Downtown

Crowd of protesters holding signs during a rally, with a large puppet resembling a political figure at the forefront. — [Josh Imhof | features editor] Protestors on Saturday brought different signs and flags to represent the causes they were supporting.

Kaitlyn Hughes & Josh Imhof | news editor & features editor

Adam Cihon showed up to the No Kings rally in Pittsburgh feeling hopeless.

He had never been to a protest before, but he said after the events thus far in Donald Trump’s second presidency it felt necessary.

“I want to feel like I’m doing something as I watch democracy fail,” Cihon said.

As a family doctor who spent time working in Honduras, he said he has seen what a corrupt government can do to a country.

Cihon and thousands of others gathered outside of the City-County Building on Saturday to participate in the second round of the nationwide No Kings movement, which protested Trump and his administration.

A speaker addresses a large crowd during the No Kings rally, with many participants holding protest signs. — [Josh Imhof | features editor] U.S. Rep. Summer Lee told The Duke that people should continue their activism through push back from others because that’s a sign they are making progress.

According to Indivisible Pittsburgh’s executive director, Tracy Baton, who helped to organize the march, about 10,500 people made up a sea of signs and flags in front of the building.

At the same time, more than 2,000 No Kings protests occurred across the nation, including in other neighborhoods around the city.

Randy Kolb took to the streets because he said he is deeply offended by the defunding of Medicaid and the “anti-scientific” decisions being made by the administration.

“I haven’t expected to see the United States to be like this,” Kolb said. “That’s a scary change.”

A woman speaking passionately into a microphone at a protest rally, with a sign and a backdrop that reads 'Indivisible'. — [Josh Imhof | features editor] Sara Innamorato, Allegheny County executive, spoke to a crowd of over 10,000 outside of the City-County building, encouraging them to fight back against the Trump administration.

Mary Beth Heinrichs was driven to the protest out of fear, which she said comes from what she hears on the news.

“I think this is a good way to help people pay attention to what is happening,” she said.

During the first wave of No Kings protests in June, one person in Salt Lake City was shot, according to a Salt Lake City Police report.

The June No Kings protest in Pittsburgh remained peaceful.

Lee Schmidt, Pittsburgh public safety director, said that the city used several methods of security to keep protesters safe. Drones and cameras were used to survey the area, and large trucks were parked across intersections in order to prevent vehicles from driving into the crowd. Pittsburgh Police officers were also stationed around the protest.

Indivisible Pittsburgh also had safety “marshals” in yellow vests in and around the crowd in order to deescalate any situations that could have arisen, said Kevin Mosley, who was one of the marshals.

A slew of speeches kicked off Saturday’s event, including appearances from members of the ACLU, Casa San Jose and 1Hood Media. Elected officials including U.S. Rep. Chris Deluzio, D-Fox Chapel; U.S. Rep Summer Lee, D-Swissvale and County Executive Sara Innamorato also made statements.

As the highest ranking elected official in Allegheny County, Innamorato said it was important to have a presence at the No Kings rally to let people know what the county is doing for them.

“There is a whole community that wants to stand with you and link arms with you,” she told The Duke. “I fight for our government.”

Lee said that it was important as lawmakers to not only fight back but encourage others to join in on the fight.

“I am here today because it is my duty to fight for our freedom,” she said.

A crowd of protesters at the No Kings rally in Pittsburgh, featuring individuals in colorful costumes, including a unicorn, and holding various signs. One person in the foreground is shouting, while another in a bright vest stands beside them. — [Josh Imhof | features editor] River Sepinuck, the vice president of Carnegie Mellon University’s chapter of the College Democrats, chanted and led marchers down Grant Street.

Vic Walczak, legal director of the ACLU of Pennsylvania, said that the issues the organization has fought for throughout the years, such as free speech, are being attacked under the Trump administration. The ACLU has sued the Trump administration 90 times since he took office.

Walczak told The Duke that it is important for younger people to get involved with movements like these.

“They’ve got more time on this Earth and will have to deal with the carnage left by this administration,” he said.

River Sepinuck, the vice president of Carnegie Mellon University’s chapter of the College Democrats, spoke at the rally to represent student activism.

He said he hoped to inspire other students to get involved.

“We are the leaders of the future and we need to start working now,” Sepinuck told The Duke.

After an hour and a half of speeches, the crowd marched down Grant Street and looped around to end the rally peacefully at Mellon Square. The march spanned sidewalk to sidewalk and stretched a quarter of a mile.

Kaitlyn Hughes can be reached at hugesk10@duq.edu

Josh Imhof can be reached at imhofj@duq.edu