WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (CBS12) — Signs reading “Dump Trump” and “Trump for Prison” rose above a crowd along Palm Beach Lakes Boulevard on Saturday as music played and demonstrators gathered to voice their opposition.
Some wore “Resist” shirts and shirts featuring comedian Stephen Colbert. In a video posted by Palm Beach Indivisibles, a demonstrator sang songs touching on political and social issues into a microphone, drawing a chorus of “Free speech” chants when a West Palm Beach police officer attempted to stop her. The chanting continued until the officer left.
The gathering near Target was one of several No Kings events scheduled across Palm Beach County and the Treasure Coast, as Trump returned to Palm Beach for his first visit of the season.
For those who came out, the reasons varied, but several protesters interviewed by Palm Beach Indivisibles described a desire for change.
See also: President Trump departs Palm Beach for Kentucky rally after Mar-a-Lago RNC fundraiser
“We don’t have enough time to list all the reasons, but mainly we just need to take our country back and make sure that we have love and kindness and compassion in our hearts again,” one demonstrator said.
Another said they were there to “oust Trump.” A different attendee joked that former President Barack Obama had called and asked him to show up.
Saturday’s demonstrations were part of a nationwide “No Kings: Vote Early” day of action. Organizers said more than 3,000 events were planned across the country, with a focus on encouraging voter participation ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm elections.
The effort marks an added focus for the coalition, which has organized demonstrations against what it describes as an expansion of presidential power. This time, organizers are also encouraging people to check their voter registration, learn about their voting options and make a plan to cast a ballot. They describe the voter outreach as nonpartisan.
Where No Kings events were scheduled locally
Palm Beach County
Palm Beach Gardens: 10 a.m. to noon at PGA Boulevard and Campus Drive.West Palm Beach: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Palm Beach Lakes Boulevard, east of I-95, between Executive Center Drive and Congress Avenue.Wellington: 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. on the public sidewalk in front of the Veterans Memorial.Boynton Beach: 1 to 3 p.m. at Boynton Beach Boulevard and North Congress Avenue.Boca Raton: 10:30 a.m. to noon at Boca Raton City Hall.
Treasure Coast
Sebastian: 10 to 11 a.m. The address was private, with details available through registration.Vero Beach: 3 to 4 p.m.Stuart: 3 to 5 p.m. at U.S. 1 and Kanner Highway/Colorado Avenue.Port St. Lucie: 4 to 6 p.m. at the MidFlorida Event Center.Protests coincide with Trump’s Palm Beach visit
President Trump arrived at Donald J. Trump International Airport shortly after 8 p.m. Friday after a rally in Dalton, Georgia. He left Saturday morning for a rally in Kentucky.
His visit brought additional security measures and traffic impacts to Palm Beach. South Ocean Boulevard was closed between South County Road and Southern Boulevard, according to the Town of Palm Beach, which advised drivers heading to the island to use the middle or north bridge.
The demonstrations came just days before Palm Beach County’s early voting period begins Oct. 19. Voting is scheduled to continue through Nov. 1, ahead of Election Day on Nov. 3.