Organizers say they expect thousands of attendees at dozens of planned demonstrations against the Trump administration across Connecticut this Saturday.
The “No Kings” rallies are part of a nationwide movement meant to show mass opposition to what protest leaders call Trump’s “authoritarian power grabs.”
Lead Connecticut organizer Jim Chapdelaine says it’s important for those opposed to the administration to see they’re not alone and to take collective action.
“There are powers that be that would prefer we all just stay at our houses and, I don’t know, take up crochet,” Chapdelaine said in a Tuesday interview. “It’s really important to build community and solidarity and unity, [and] especially important to do that in a very peaceful way.”
Chapdelaine said despite the protests’ real stakes, the main rally in Hartford will be “fun.” He said the gathering outside the state Capitol at noon will include live music, puppets, and poetry readings.
“I think the way to achieve this peaceful sort of vibe is to make people enjoy things,” he said. “You know, it's okay to do this kind of work and have fun.”
Performances include singer Nekita Waller, Hartford’s Proud Drill, Drum and Dance Corp, Manchester Poet Laureate Nadia Sims, and Anne Cubberly’s giant puppets “Muchos Colores” and “Mother Earth.”
Chapdelaine rejected claims from leading Republicans in Washington that Saturday’s events were “hate America rallies.”
“We are stressing patriotism. Bring your American flags. Let’s profess our love for America publicly, loudly and peacefully,” he said. “This ‘oh, they hate America’ – no, we love America.”
Addresses by local leaders listed for the Hartford event include Connecticut U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz, and Hartford Mayor Arunan Arulampalam.
Among the advocates scheduled to speak are Kica Matos of the National Immigrant Law Group, Bishop John Selders of Moral Monday CT, and Tabitha Sookdeo of CT Students for a Dream.
The Saturday events are a follow-up to “No Kings” rallies in June that attracted thousands across Connecticut.
