Thousands of protestors gathered at Bicentennial Park outside Oklahoma City's Civic Center Music Hall Saturday as part of a national movement for a third "No Kings" protest.
Attendees used large, colorful signs to express their opposition to the actions of President Donald Trump and his administration, including the war in Iran and immigration enforcement tactics.
They were part of a larger, nationwide movement. People in more than 3,000 cities across the U.S. — including in Tulsa, Lawton and Ponca City — joined in the protests Saturday.
In OKC, Ivette Chaverria stood at the edge of the energetic crowd, holding up a handmade anti-ICE sign. She said her parents weren't born in the United States, and it has made recent immigration crackdowns more scary.
"I never thought I was going to grow up in a time where we're going to war, where we're literally having to tell our officers and president not to kill people," she said. "That's why I'm here."
Earlier this year, two U.S. citizens died after Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents shot them during protests in Minneapolis.
Chaverria said she feels like ICE agents aren't bound by the same legal frameworks as everyone else.
"I think it just gives them a pass to mistreat people, kill people however they please," she said.
Chaverria grew up in a small town in the western part of the state, where she was often the only Hispanic person in her class. She said Oklahoma has always been a place she's wanted to leave, but seeing so many people come together "to fight" makes her feel more optimistic.
Organizations try to spur more activism
Protesters stood together on a large grassy lawn in the center of the city. Leaders from local organizations, including ACLU of Oklahoma and the MMIP Central Oklahoma Chapter, set up tables and handed out information to protestors.
Christa McClellan, the MMIP Central Oklahoma Chapter president and a member of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, attended the rally wearing a ribbon skirt. She has spent years advocating for policies to address the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples Crisis.
McClellan said she was upset that the Trump administration removed a report from the Department of Justice website that included testimonies from families affected by the MMIP crisis and recommendations to address the issue. It was a reversal for the President, who had signed into law the bill mandating the report during his first term.
For McClellan, the "No Kings" cause intersects with Indigenous advocacy because of historical violence Indigenous Americans faced under colonial rule.
"From the beginning, we faced all these issues and we still do today," McClellan. "And now that we're here at the 'No Kings' rally, all the people here are seeing what our people have faced all these years."
Some organizers also used the event as a springboard for other causes, with speakers discussing topics like Oklahoma's upcoming vote to raise the minimum wage. One speaker encouraged attendees to post about the rally on social media to get more exposure for the activism.
Why people marched
In addition, the increase in gas prices since the war in Iran began has made it harder for her to advocate for her cause, McClellan said.
"Gas prices are going up, and we rely solely on donations to do what we do. So when we're low on donations, it comes out of our pockets," McClellan said. "And I don't work. I'm a stay at home mom. So trying to do this on one income in the house, it's a lot of work."
The war has choked the flow of oil and gas worldwide, sending diesel prices up in Oklahoma and throughout the U.S.
The protest remained peaceful, with many attendees expressing a feeling of unity. Some protestors brought their dogs, set up a bubble machine, and found other ways to express their intent to pursue nonviolent action.
Harper Keppel came into the city from Norman wearing an inflatable shark costume. She said the "No Kings" cause is serious for her, but she wanted her outfit to signal that the protest was nonviolent.
"I love the trend to show that it's a peaceful protest through silly inflatable costumes," she said.
Other protesters expressed concern about the increased cost of living. Becky Tallent is retired and relies on Social Security to meet her needs, but she said she has started considering whether she needs to go back to work.
Chelsea Helsinger said that she decided to start going to her local food pantry instead of the grocery store because of high food prices. She works in education, but said her paycheck isn't enough to sustain her and her son.
Helsinger said increased financial stress isn't the only way she's seen her life change. The political landscape has ruptured her relationship with her mom, whom she used to see once a week. Helsinger, who is gay, said her mom's support for an administration that has rolled back policies giving specific protections to the LGBTQ+ community has stung.
"I have an 11-year-old son, and there's no way I would vote for somebody that is against him and what he stands for," she said.
This report was produced by the Oklahoma Public Media Exchange, a collaboration of public media organizations. Help support collaborative journalism by donating at the link at the top of this webpage.
